All in the Game
by Insanity 101
Summary: A Robin centered fic, so all you Boy Wonder fans out there, this is for you. When Starfire breaks Robin's heart, he finds himself drawn to the darker side of the tower...RaeRob.
1. Rest in Pieces

_Disclaimer: I own Robin…he just doesn't know it yet. However, **I DO NOT OWN THE SONG REST IN PIECES, BY SALIVA.

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**_

One week. Seven days. One hundred sixty-eight hours. Ten thousand eighty minutes. Six hundred four thousand, eight hundred seconds. And counting.

Robin stared over the edge of his coffee cup at nothing in particular. His friends thought all the caffeine was to keep him awake and alert with little or no sleep, but that wasn't why he drank it. The coffee gave him something to do, something to look at, something to distract himself with. And maybe, somewhere in the back of his mind, he hoped that downing cup after cup would somehow fill the void inside him.

**Look at me, my depth perception must be off again**

An uncomfortable silence settled over the breakfast table, Beast Boy's jokes slowly dwindling to nothing, but Robin hardly noticed. There was plenty of noise in his mind, memories becoming more and more persistent, try as he might to quash them. They had been playing in the background for far too long.

_"You…you what, Robin? Would you please repeat yourself? I did not understand."_

_Saying it once was hard enough, saying it twice was sheer torture. "I…I think—no, I know that…Iloveyou." The three words tumbled out of his mouth in one breath, blended together and barely understandable, but full of emotion all the same._

_Starfire remained confused. Then her face lit up. "Oh! You said you love me! Thank you, friend Robin! I am sure that I am feeling 'the love' for you also!"_

_Robin cringed at the word "friend" as though it was a knife in his ribs. This wasn't working. She just didn't understand. "No, Star. Not that kind of…I don't think of you as…I just…I just love you." Saying it three times brought a scarlet flush to his cheeks and a lurching sensation to his stomach._

_Starfire frowned. "I do not understand. You are my best friend, Robin. Of course we love each other!"_

_"You idiot! You just had to open your mouth! Now you're stuck, and you can't take it back!" He swallowed, his mouth dry as dust. "Have…have you ever heard of someone having a…girlfriend?" He thought the word would make him explode with humiliation._

_"Of course! I am your girl friend, and you are my boy friend!" Star fell silent as she saw the look on Robin's bright red face. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide. "You…you mean…people that do… 'the kissing'?"_

_Robin would have liked nothing better than to sink into the floor and stay there, never to be looked at again. He didn't dare look at her face, so he kept his eyes fixed on his shoes._

_"Oh…Robin…" There was a hint of pity in her voice, mixed with sorrow. "I…I am sorry."_

Robin took a huge gulp of his cold coffee, almost choking as he swallowed past the lump in his throat. This was the part he hated the most.

_"I…how do you say it? My heart is otherwise engaged."_

_Robin's face turned a ghostly white, his stomach twisting as though he was going to be sick._

_"I still care for you, Robin! You are my best friend, but Beast Boy—" Starfire stopped abruptly. "Oh, I am sorry, Robin! Please have a nice day!" With that, she retreated into her room and shut the door in his face._

_He stood there, staring blankly at the door for what seemed an eternity. Then, ever so slowly, he walked away, movements jerky and unnatural, to hide his shame in the darkness of his room._

"Robin?"

He jumped, almost spilling his coffee. Starfire was staring intensely at him, face full of concern.

**It has not healed with time  
It just shot down my spine**

"We are going out for a day of buying! It should be quite fun, for the mall is having a discount! Please, will you not join us?" She worried about him, she pitied him, but she did not love him.

"Thanks-" He cleared his throat, and started over again. "Thanks anyway, but I really don't fee—" Robin's voice died in his throat as Beast Boy slipped his arm around Star's waist.

**You look so beautiful tonight**

"I…" he stuttered. A voice in his head was howling _"NO NO NO!"_ as the room grew hot and began to spin. "I…I don't…I really have to…" He gulped, his coffee cup shaking in unsteady hands. "I have work to do." It was a lie; there had hardly been a whisper of crime all week. At a time when he needed a distraction, a purpose,the most, his enemies deserted him, leaving the Boy Wonder with nothing to numb his pain.

**Remind me how you laid us down**

"Oh, come on, Rob! You're such a work-a-holic! Do you ever get your nose out of the books long enough to actually have fun?" Beast Boy's arm was still firmly around her waist. "Maybe if you'd relax a little, people would like you better."

Robin could no longer feel anger, only pain. He abandoned his mug, tripping over the chair leg as he stood. "I'm sorry" he mumbled, not looking at her, not looking at him, and not looking at his arm wrapped around her waist.

**And gently smiled**

"Are you quite sure, Robin? We would lo…_enjoy_ your company!"

"Not as much as Beast Boy's" he thought bitterly. "I'm fine. Go. Have fun."

Starfire opened her mouth to protest, but Beast Boy was already steering her towards the door. "Come on, Star. Leave him to his note cards and newspaper clippings", he muttered, loud enough for Robin to hear as they left, arm in arm.

**Before you destroyed my life**

"Hey, lay off the coffee, ok Rob?" said Cyborg, gripping his shoulder momentarily.

Robin jerked his head in consent, praying that they would all leave soon. He couldn't hold out much longer.

"...Hey, uh…what Starfire did—"

**Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces**

"I don't want to talk about it, Cyborg."

Cyborg frowned slightly, looking at his little buddy with a twinge of sympathy in his gut. "You sure?"

Robin laughed, but stopped as it made him feel like crying. "Positive."

"I don't have to go, you know. Starfire will probably just drag us around all the toy stores—" He stopped, silently cursing himself for mentioning her name. "If you want me to stay-"

"No." Robin stood and spoke as though merely out of habit. His mind was far away, beyond the reach of his large metal friend. "I'm fine. Go. Have fun."

Cyborg sighed, nodded, and patted Robin on the back before following the two "lovers" out the door. Three Titans down, one to go.

"Would you like to stop lying now?"

**Would you find it in your heart?  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces**

Robin didn't bother to look up, just stood, hunched over and staring into space. There were dark circles under his eyes, his clothes were rumpled, one shoe was missing, and his hair looked like he hadn't combed it in days. He looked like a child, lost in a place too big for him and desperate for someone to tell him what to do and where to go. Raven felt a hollow ache in her heart, and at the same time, a burning hatred for the one whobroke him pulsing in her veins. "Do you want something to eat? A person can't live on caffeine alone."

"Raven, I'm fine. I don't want anything. You should go with them, have some fun." He knew that his depression was dragging down the team, but he just couldn't seem to shake it. The last thing he wanted was for Raven to be forced to endure his company because she felt it was her _duty_.

Raven raised an eyebrow. "Since when do I 'do' fun? If it makes you feel better, I'm staying because I have no desire to be dragged around Teddies 'N More by Starfire and Beast Boy."

Robin tensed at the sound of their names. His hands were twitching restlessly, as though he didn't know what to do with them. The idea of Beast Boy and Starfire, tucked away on some secluded bench in a rarely visited corner of the mall brought the nauseated feeling back in full force. There was nothing to say.

**Would you find it in your heart?  
To make it go away  
And let me rest in pieces**

Raven frowned, trying not to show how concerned she was. If there was one thing Robin hated, it was pity. "So…I would offer you some tea, but I imagine you've had enough liquid for a while?" Her words were horribly inadequate, but comforting was hardly something she was good at.

Robin just stood there like a zombie, a painful scene playing before his eyes like a silent film. He would have given anything to stop the reel, but all his efforts were in vain.

**Look at me, my depth perception must be off again**

Raven sighed. "She's not worth it, you know."

Robin didn't trust himself to speak. As it was, he was barely holding himself together. All he could see were her gemstone eyes, her long red hair, her innocent smile… Who was he kidding? What would she want with a loser like him?

**You got much closer than I thought you did**

_"Thank you, friend Robin!" … "Oh…Robin…" … "I…how do you say it? My heart is otherwise engaged." … "Maybe if you'd relax a little, people would like you better."_

**I'm in your reach**

"Robin?" His face turned gray as he swayed, stumbling forward, all the strength gone from his legs. Raven caught him awkwardly, hiding a blush as she pulled his arm over her shoulders and helped him to the couch.

Robin wanted more than anything not to think, not to feel, not to love. But Starfire had all of him. And with a careless flick of her wrist, she had crushed him into oblivion.

**You held me in your hands**

"Listen, I know it seems horrible now…" She stopped, choking on the pain emanating form her broken leader. Slowly, struggling for every word, she tried again. "But in time, it will fade." Raven curled her fingers around his hands, nervously twisting in his lap. "It will heal, Robin."

That was the last straw. Every ounce of dignity and self-control he had vanished, leaving him exposed and unprotected.

**But could you find it in your heart?  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces**

Raven stared in horror as he curled up on the couch, face buried in his knees, violent sobs shaking his body until she thought it would break. His pain was unbearable, welling up in her chest and departing in the form of vain and pointless tears, spilled in the loss of a friend.

Every thought, every tear, every stab of agony, it all poured from him in one torrent of misery and salt water. He was slowly being ripped apart, shred by shred, dreams and hopes and secret longings crushed and scattered in the hellish gale. He was lost, lost and alone and helpless in a world too big for him.

Through the howls and screams, he felt her gentle touch, her peaceful scent surrounding him, her tears falling with his own. No…he was afraid of the pain, afraid to let her in, afraid of being hurt again… But then he heard them, words as soft and quiet as starlight, as mysterious as the moon… _"I know."_

Slowly, hesitantly, he emerged from his weak shell of protection, and allowed himself to be pulled into her comforting embrace, crying his heart out on her understanding shoulder. She wept with him, ached with him, loved with him.

**Would you find it in your heart?  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces**

"Raven…Thank you."


	2. Crazy 4 This Girl

_Ok...lol I know, I know...I've been writing a lot of pointless stuff lately, like Numb and I Miss You, Revised, not to mention the incredibly depressing (at least to me) Breaking the Habit, but I guess I just needed a break from my serious stories, which I actually managed to update -cheers for self-. You guys seemed to like Rest In Pieces farely well, and I got the idea for a (sorta) sequel to it while listening to this song...so I thought I'd make this a two chapter story rather than a one-shot. This is dedicated to Tifereth Kantrishakrim...because, truthfully, her incredibly awesome one-shots are what inspired me to try my hand at them more often. Chapter 9 of One Last Dance was AWESOME, by the way...if you guys haven't already, GO READ IT. Hopefully, you like this :)_

_VerticallyxChallenged: LOL yeah, Robin is hot...but whoever said Star was intelligent? I know...I've always really loved that song, and it inspired the idea so I thought what the heck. LOL I read bios too...just didn't think anyone else did. Hope you like this! And your new name is awesome, by the way :)_

_SOVEREIGN LORD OF CHAOS: LOL I guess I'm not absolutely sure...Sorry, but my mom doesn't let me get into the whole emailing thing... -sigh- a bummer, yes, but those are the rules._

_raeandrob4eva: LOL so it looks like I conveyed my feelings pretty well. Thanks, hope you like this one too!_

_Rinagurl13: Thanks :)_

_Tifereth Kantrishakrim: squeals ...Sorry, but I always get excited when I get a review from you. There's nothing like having one of your favorite authors come and read something of yours. Thank you soooo much:) gives a dozen digital cookies Your wish is my command!_

_lady briallen: LOL good, cuz that was the idea. Thank you!_

_Dangerproneredhead: Thanks so much! Yeah...in my opinion, Robin is the kind of person who doesn't give his heart lightly, doesn't play with someone's feelings. If he says he loves you, he really does love you. That makes the blow even more harsh, but it is, nonetheless, a great quality. Thanks so much for the review!_

_Furubafun24: LOL yeah, I had alot of fun with that aspect. I know, wasn't it just so sweet of him? Glad you liked it :)_

_Princess Starfire of Tamaran: Ok, first off, thank you. Knowing that you are a Star/Rob supporter, I tip my hat to you for reviewing to say more than just "this pairing sucks". Thank you for actually saying something constructive about the actual story. Yes, it was intended to be Rae/Rob at the end. I appreciate your opinion, but must beg to differ. Thank you for your review._

_Firestar: LOL yeah, isn't it weird how those things come from no where? -laughs nervously, whistles- Thanks:)_

_Angel Vanilla: LOL I felt bad for Robin while writing it, so I know what you mean. Glad you liked it!_

_JesFriendMagnet: I think I'll salute myself for that too. Lol. So you twitch when you enjoy something? Interesting... Hmm... -turns to Robin- Does this person own you? Robin: Uh...not that I know of... -turns back to JesFriendMagnet- See?_

_Yamitano: Thanks :)...this part isn't really angst though._

_yourworstnightmare: Is that you, AriesFalcon? -tisk tisk- It wasn't a Star/Rob story, honest! I am a hardcore Rae/Rob supporter, but I do recognize the hints of his affection for her, in earlier episodes, and I think that, if Robin loved someone, he would be deeply affected by their rejection. The end was intended to be Rae/Rob, so I'm glad you liked it. LOL I never had "R/S" days, thank you very much, and I never intend to either._

_Niki Dee: LOL thanks, I'm glad you liked it:)_

_Majestical: Thanks :) ...LOL I usually find all these ideas in the hours in bed before I can actually fall asleep, and trust me, they are usually many. Well, I am caught up in school...does that make me an ingenious task master?_

_Aeris-Raven: Thanks, I really like the song too, and it just really seemed like a Robin sort of song. Well, you know, this is just one of those "what if?" stories...it may not be all that likely, but I got the idea for a story in which it did happen, so there you have it. I am not necessarily a BB/Star shipper...in fact, I really don't have any pairing preference other than Rae/Rob. LOL yeah. Glad you liked it:)_

_Mystyre: Aw, thanks! Yeah...lol I basically just knew that she was going to be with someone else, and Beast Boy was the first one who came to mind. Thanks so much:)_

_jambey: LOL yeah...the point was to make him a bit out of character, because, well, he wasn't himself. I think you can do it, if you really try. LOL! Not a one shot...but you already knew that, didn't you?_

_**I DO NOT OWN THE SONG CRAZY FOR THIS GIRL, BY EVAN AND JARON.** This takes place a couple months after Chapter 1.

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Weak little sunbeams scurried into the room, leaving trails of white light on the dark red carpet. They continued to push their limits, creeping farther and farther into the brilliantly clean room until they came to rest on a pair of peacefully closed eyelids.

Robin blinked, taking his own sweet time to return to reality, letting the dream fade ever-so-slowly, savoring the sweet sensation. With a sigh of resignation, he stretched his arms out until his fingers brushed the wall, enjoying the feeling of strain that this movement heralded. The start of a new day...and he had never felt more ready.

Boy Wonder literally jumped out of bed, and, for once, found his path to the bathroom clear. He had found the energy to clean his room a few days ago, drawing from some unknown well of power. His dresser and closet were perfectly organized, his floor devoid of any stray papers, his crime files safely stored in two or three black filing cabinets. And now for the truly surprising part. His walls were blank and bare as they hadn't been for years, completely empty, not a magazine article or newspaper clipping in sight. Somehow, they didn't seem all that necessary anymore. It was hard to believe that, not long ago, he would have yelled at anyone who even suggested it.

Robin jumped a little as the ice cold water drenched his skin, still warm from sleep and blankets, but it was a good feeling. The temperature drop awoke his senses like nothing else could, sending a shiver of energy and awareness pulsing through him. Surprising even himself, he laughed, no longer able to hold it all inside. Maybe today would be the day...

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Raven sat cross-legged on her bed, stretching and yawning a little. She had been meditating for the past hour, and she felt refreshed and relaxed, even content. "Content" was just about as close as she ever got to happy.

She drifted slowly down the hallway, headed for the kitchen and her morning ritual of tea and toast. She was a little surprised to hear some kind of rock song drifting towards her, breaking the early morning silence. Who would be so very up at six o'clock in the morning? Raven smiled a little as she pressed the small silver button and slipped through the sliding doors. Who else?

**She rolls the window down  
And she  
Talks over the sound  
Of the cars that pass us by  
And I don't know why  
But she's changed my mind**

She stifled a laugh as she saw Robin, decked out in a brightly colored apron and personalized oven mitts, frowning in concentration as he poured out a cup-full of milk. "Looks like somebody got up on the right side of the bed this morning."

He jumped a foot in the air, splashing milk all over the counter and down his bright green apron. His masked eyes grew wide and a blush crept into his cheeks as he saw Raven, leaning against the doorframe and laughing quietly. "Uh...Raven...nice...nice day we're having..." He attempted to lean casually on the counter, but his glove slipped on the newly spilled milk, bashing his elbow on the slick surface.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." She smiled even more as the blush deepened. "What's on the menu?" Raven asked, glancing at the many pots and mixing bowls with interest.

Recovering a tiny bit of his usual confidence, Robin replied, "Ham and bacon surprise, tofu waffles, fresh-squeezed...whatever, and herbal tea with hot buttered toast." A small nervous smile crept onto his face as he looked at her uncertainly.

**Would you look at her  
She looks at me  
She's got me thinking about her constantly  
But she don't know how I feel**

"I wonder who that could be for." Raven smiled a little and crossed the kitchen to stand beside him, watching as he tensed, his eyes fixed on the ground.

**And as she carries on without a doubt  
I wonder if she's figured it out  
I'm crazy for this girl**

Robin's cheeks burned as he felt her presence, so near. It was wonderful and terrible, like flying and falling at the same time.

**I'm crazy for this girl**

"You look a bit flushed. You're not sick, are you?"

Robin opened his mouth to speak, but found that his voice had all-but deserted him. "I...I'm not...you don't need to...I'm fine." Was he imagining it, or could he really feel her breath on his cheek?

She laughed quietly. "That's good. You have both shoes and newly-gelled hair this morning, I see. Always a good sign."

A frown came out of nowhere to fix itself to Boy Wonder's face. That had certainly been one of his all-time lows. Raven mentioning it made him extremely uncomfortable; that night he had been anything but the brave, fearless leader of the Teen Titans. But Raven didn't mind that. Raven helped him in a way that no one else could.

**She was the one to hold me  
The night  
The sky fell down  
And what was I thinking when  
The world didn't end**

How could he have wept for Starfire? All along, Raven was right there in front of him, and maybe...just maybe, she was feeling all this, too.

**Why didn't I know what I know now?**

The laugh died quickly as she saw the pain, greatly reduced, but still there, reflected on his face. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up, not now." She reached out and gently touched his shoulder.

At that moment, some kind of explosion went off in his stomach, slowly spreading to his fingers and toes, leaving him dizzy with conflicting emotions. He vaguely wondered if she could tell...surely he couldn't feel this much without her noticing, and...what if she felt it, too?

**Would you look at her  
She looks at me  
She's got me thinking about her constantly  
But she don't know how I feel**

"It's good to see you...alive again. You really had me worried for a while there." Raven smiled gently at him, wondering why he wouldn't meet her eyes. The sudden upsurge of emotion confused her a little, too. She could only assume it had something to do with remembering Starfire.

Worried? She was worried about him? Those were her exact words, spoken so casually from those perfect lips...Robin shook his head in a vain attempt to bring it back to Earth. She was his teammate, of course she worried about him. That didn't mean anything.

"Robin? Are you sure you're ok?" She looked questioningly at her leader, bright red and shaking slightly, but still he refused to meet her eyes.

**And as she carries on without a doubt  
I wonder if she's figured it out  
I'm crazy for this girl**

Robin blushed furiously as the song belted out what he couldn't find the courage to say.

I'm crazy for this girl

"Robin?" On impulse, she tilted his head up until their "eyes" met, but was just as lost as before when a blank mask stared back at her. What was going on behind that empty stare?

He froze as her dark, amethyst eyes bored into him, staring straight into his soul and laying bare all his deepest darkest secrets. His breath caught in his chest at the thought of Raven discovering his best-kept secret of all.

**Right now**

_"I could know...all I would have to do is just slip it off..." _To Raven's disbelief, her hands were creeping forward, inching up his face, curling under the edges of his coveted mask...

_"Stop her!"_ his mind yelled, but still he remained frozen, fear raging inside of him as she drew ever closer, as he felt her cool fingers on his skin, as it slid off his face, the cool air refreshing his long-confined eyes.

**Face to face**

Nervously, hesitantly, almost sorrowfully, he lifted his eyes to hers. Robin was completely unprotected, open for attack, exposed. He was utterly at her mercy. What would she do with him now?

Raven stared as eyes of deepest blue, with tiny streams of green and gray, met her own. There was so much in those eyes, so many words unspoken, so many feelings unshared. It was all so mixed and muddled that she could hardly make sense of it.

**All my fears**

There it was. That strange sensation, terrible and beautiful, so completely happy and so deeply miserable, aching, yearning, shrinking, shunning. Still he stared into her eyes, hoping somehow he would see it there, yet dreading the possibility. Maybe they could reach some silent understanding...maybe he could somehow avoid experiencing that horrible pain again. Maybe he wouldn't have to say it.

**Pushed aside**

Raven remained completely silent, but somehow she was urging him on, demanding answers, trying to draw the words from his frozen mouth. "Raven, I didn't tell you before because I guess I wasn't sure, or maybe I was afraid of another... I can't stop thinking about you, Raven. You're driving me insane, every time you look at me it's like I'm being ripped apart and slowly put back together, but when you don't look at me it's like I'm only half, like I'm lost. I can't bear to be near you, but when I'm not, I hurt...I hurt so bad. I dream about you every night, every morning I get up because I konw you'll be there, waiting for me. I love you, Raven!"

**And right now  
I'm ready to spend the rest of my life  
With you**

"Is there anything you wanted to talk about, Robin? You know I'm always here if you need anything."

Suddenly Robin deflated like a popped balloon, the overwhelming pressure and excitement vanishing, a weight of despair left in its wake. "No, Raven. Everything's fine."

"All right...if you're sure..." Raven stared awkwardly at the mask in her hand, so limp and weak without his face behind it. What on Earth had possessed her to take it off? And, more importantly, why hadn't Robin blown her head off for even trying? "Here", she mumbled, handing it back to him with an odd feeling of regret.

He took it wordlessly, looking down as he placed it over his eyes once more. The thing grew oddly heavy in his hands, and for the first time in a long time, he despised it. "The others will probably be up soon. I should get back to work."

Raven stared at him, confused at the sudden coldness in his voice.

**Would you look at her  
She looks at me  
She's got me thinking about her constantly  
But she don't know how I feel**

Robin silently handed her the plate of toast and mug of tea. He looked at her for a split second, managing a small smile before he turned his back to her, busying himself with the tofu waffles. He could feel Raven's eyes staring questioningly at him for what seemed an eternity, yet all too soon she turned away, murmuring a quick "thank you".

**And as she carries on without a doubt  
I wonder if she'll figure it out  
I'm crazy for this girl**

He watched her go, a quiet sigh escaping his lips as her cloak whipped out of sight. Another day gone.

**I'm crazy for this girl

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**

_Well, there it is. I hope you guys liked it, especially you, Tifereth Kanrishakrim. If you guys like this, I might write a chapter three...this is my first multiple chapter (strict) song fic, so I'd be more than happy to continue if you want me to. Later days! -Dusty_


	3. True

_Hello everybody...nice day, eh?_

_Aeris-Raven: LOL well, I guess I just have good taste...I've always loved that song, and it just inspired me in a new way one day, and there you have it. I get what you mean...there's endless possibilities. At first, I was going for hazel, but then alot of people had them as just blue, and I liked that one too...then somebody said they were amber...it's all good. Lol here, blabbering is good. Thanks!_

_Majestical: Thanks ma...er...thanks. :)_

_CelticHeiressFiona: Your wish is my command._

_jambey: I know...I can't believe I wrote it...all the sudden I'm a sentimental romantic... -sigh- No kidding. I said to myself, "Self, you are going to write a story in which Robin is not being tortured, tormented, or in any way harmed." and my self agreed, so there you have it._

_raeandrob4eva: Thanks...all right, if you insist... :)_

_Snowfeather: Hmm...so, by my reasoning and with my interpretation, I would presume that your review was intended to be a flame? Interesting... -scribbles on notepad-_

_Dannonspring: What are you, kissing happy? LOL! Hope it didn't do too much to your attention span...Glad you like it._

_Tecna: How about...now? Thanks:)_

_VerticallyxChallenged: All right, all right, if you insist. Yeah...the new ratings are gay. LOL I remember those days, too. It's because of all those lovely little one-shots I wrote, to rid my brain of some of the annoying ideas that go constantly swirling around in there. Yes, it does sound a lot like him...love the song, it's beautiful. I've never heard Before the Dawn. Yes, five...I happen to be the lucky number six. Yes, lol 12 and a half...one is on the way, and I'm so darn excited:) Yes, overrated indeed. Silly boy._

_Mystyre: Hmm...hopefully you'll like this one as well. Thanks:)_

_Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: LOL. Yes sir, or madam, as the case may be._

_Furubafun24: I have that habit also...either man or dude, never babe or chick...I nearly tear my friend's head off when she calls me either of those...they worry for my sanity. LOL I enjoyed that bit, too. Kinda nice to show Robin, cool, collected, perfectly-time-the-eggs-to-land-on-the-plate-just-as-the-ham-is-done Boy Wonder, make a complete fool of himself. Aw, the things we do for love...not that I would know of course. Thanks:)_

_YoukaiTenshi: Hmmm...would now be convenient for you?_

_Aimlessshadow: Yeah, what with Birthmark and all, I'm really hoping the show will go in that direction. Thanks, I'm glad you like it!_

_Tifereth Kantrishakrim: Of course I mentioned you! You are, quite possibly, my favorite author on the entire site! And I'm honored that you like this, since your one-shots are so amazing. Nah, it's ok...I assumed you were busy working on the sequel to One Last Dance -hint hint nudge nudge- LOL as is yours on mine:) Ah, mutual friendship...you gotta love it. What do you mean, I was prophetic? Oh crap, you gonna make him a mute or something? I'm apprehensive, what with all your forbidding hints, but still incredibly anxious to see the sequel! Hurry, hurry! Before I lose what's left of my mind!_

_So here goes...**I DO NOT OWN THE SONG TRUE, BY RYAN CABRERA.** Couple days to a week after the last chapter.

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_

Robin froze, his eyes widening in shock as small, unmistakable sounds crept out from under the door marked "RAVEN". A horrible sinking feeling seemed to drag his heart into his shoes, the sound ripping him up inside. What would make his Raven cry? He hesitated for a moment, staring uncertainly at the metal door, as though hoping it would tell him the answer to all his questions. When it remained stubbornly silent, however, he knew that he would just have to try. No matter how much the thought of going in that room terrified-yes, terrified-him, not going, not being there for her when she needed him...someone, was unimaginable.

So, with a deep breath, with a sigh of resignation to chaos, Robin tapped ever so lightly on Raven's door.

**I won't talk  
I won't breathe  
I won't move till you finally see  
That you belong with me**

The soft sobs disappeared, leaving an echoing silence in their wake. At that point, Robin almost lost his nerve. What if she didn't want him there? What if she didn't want to talk to him? What if she ha- _No_. She needed someone, and that someone would be him. "Rae...Raven?", he whispered, almost afraid to break the silence of the dark midnight corridor. Robin was not afraid of the dark, he was not afraid of Plasmus, Overload, or Cinderblock, he was not even afraid of Slade, but somehow, that moment struck fear in his heart...though it refused to be analyzed or defined. The familiar little voice was back, already beginning the nagging chant in the back of his mind: _do it now, do it now, do it now_.

**You might think I don't look  
But deep inside the corner of my mind  
I'm attatched to you**

Silence, then the smallest of rustling noises, as quiet as silk rasping against silk...the door slid open, and Robin cringed internally, the familiar sickening and exhilarating surge of emotion screaming inside him...but no one was in sight. Nothing but darkness, utter and undisturbed. She was in there somewhere, though the sheer invisibility of anything comforting or reassuring daunted him momentarily. Raven needed someone...maybe he could make her need him.

**I'm weak, it's true  
Cause I'm afraid to know the answer  
Do you want me too?  
Cause my heart keeps falling faster**

Breathless, uncertain, Robin stepped across the threshold, freezing as though expecting to be yelled at, thrown backwards, chastized for intruding on her privacy...but when nothing happened, not a sound breaking the silence, some semblance of courage returned to his body, and he took another step, and another...why on Earth did he feel like he was marching to death? Was it really that hard? That horrible? As his nerves crackled and his stomach performed amazing acrobatic feats, he came to his conclusion: yes.

"Raven?" he whispered again, praying that she would answer. Worry was twisting his stomach into knots; what was wrong? Why was she crying? Raven never cried, _ever_! Something must be horribly wrong.

"What do you need, Robin?" spoke a cool, collected voice from the shadows of the room. He felt a familiar heat rush into his face, but the darkness hid his humiliation. She didn't sound upset at all; except for maybe a hint of anger towards the person who had barged into her room at such an hour. But...he had heard her...There was something wrong, and he was not leaving until he found out what it was.

**I've waited all my life to cross this line  
To the only thing that's true  
So I will not hide  
It's time to try anything to be with you  
All my life I've waited  
This is true**

"I...Raven, I heard...what's wrong, Raven?" he stuttered, eyes still searching for her in the pitch-black room. The door hissed shut behind him, sending a slight shiver up his spine. Not knowing where she was made him extremely uncomfortable.

A dry chuckle issued from the darkness somewhere to his left. "What's wrong..." the voice muttered, more to itself than to him. "Do you really want to know, Robin? Do you really want to hear the truth?"

**You don't know what you do  
Everytime you walk into the room  
I'm afraid to move**

"Of course. Just tell me, Raven." _Trust me, Raven. Confide in me, Raven. Love me, Raven._

Robin jumped and whirled around as he felt her presence behind him. His eyes could barely make out the glint of deep purple orbs, the sheen of her silky purple hair...the surging, twisting, lifting feeling was back again, stealing the air from his lungs and leaving his mind a perfect blank. He tried to pull away from her eyes, but they seemed to pin him to the spot, holding him frozen in time. And the strange part was, most of him didn't want to move at all.

"What you would normally call 'wrong' is my everyday 'right', Robin. Things that would be a cause for fear or worry to you are normal to me. You can never understand, Robin. No one can." Her eyes were bitter, acusing, as though he had done something horribly wrong, as though this was all his fault.

A terrible aching spread through his chest, worse than the pain that filled him as he heard her quietly sobbing. He wanted to understand, he wanted it so badly. "Then _make_ me understand, Raven! I want to help you, please let me help you!" He fell silent, realizing he was dangerously close to the edge as his voice filled with desperately suppressed emotion. He always stopped himself, even if he was mere inches from revealing the truth. Something always held him back.

**I'm weak, it's true  
I'm just scared to know the ending  
Do you see me too?  
Do you even know you met me?**

"Make you understand? I can't 'make' you understand, Robin. You either do or you don't. Which is it?" Raven's eyes bored into him, making him feel as though he was standing beneath a hot light, rather than immersed in darkness.

"Maybe I would understand, if you would talk to me. Maybe you'd find out I know a lot more than you think." Idiot! _What are you saying? She's your teammate, you're her leader! You can't tell her about that...you can't tell anyone about that._

Raven looked at him searchingly. "What exactly do you 'know', Robin?"

His mouth went dryer than sand, his heart skipped a beat. What on Earth had he gotten himself into? "I...I, uh..." _Talk, idiot! Complete sentences, at least try to act like an intelligent human being!_

Raven suddenly frowned, something that Robin took to be scorn playing about her lips. "Just as I thought. You expect me to confide in you, Robin, but you aren't willing to do the same. You're entitled to all the secrets you want, right down to your identity, but we are supposed to lay bare everything for you just because you're our 'leader'. What? Do you just like the control? Does it make you feel powerful, knowing that we have nothing on you? Are you protecting yourself from betrayal? You ask for our trust, and yet you refuse to give it in return."

Robin blinked, shocked at the unexpected attack that Raven had thrown at him. It took him a few minutes to soak it all in, and when he did, he was shocked at just how right she was. It was true, all of it. How could he ask of her what he wouldn't give himself? Shame burned in the pit of his stomach. What kind of a leader was he, to not even trust his own team? "You're right, Raven. About all of it. I was taught, from eight years on, to protect myself. To not trust anyone. To always be suspicious, guarded, ready for attack at any moment. I guess it kind of sticks with a person." He sighed, running his fingers through his hair in exasperatoin."I had no right to ask you for something I wasn't willing to give myself. I'll leave you alone now." He renched his eyes from hers, shoulders drooping slightly as he turned to leave, every particle of him screaming that he should stay.

**I've waited all my life to cross this line  
To the only thing thats true  
So I will not hide  
It's time to try anything to be with you  
All my life I've waited  
This is true**

"Robin...wait."

He froze, then turned slowly to face her, shocked at what he had heard, or thought he heard, in her voice.

"It...it doesn't have to be that way. For you, or for me. Maybe we could..." Raven faltered, staring at the ground, or rather, Robin's shoes.

"...Talk?" suggested Robin, a tiny smile playing around his lips. Was it just him, or was this conversation turning around? The nervous feeling in his stomach released a little as he looked at Raven; was that a smile, or just the shadows playing on her face?

**I know when I go  
I'll be on my way to you  
The way that's true**

"...All right. So...I guess I'll start?" Raven asked, a little bit of nervousness escaping in her tone.

"Sure...if you want..." That was just fine with him. It would just put off the moment when he would have to spill. Robin realized suddenly that he did trust Raven...at least, if he trusted anyone it would be her. It was just...a bit frightening, telling her things that no one except Bruce and Alfred knew. Raven took his hand, leading him over to a dark corner that turned out to be where the bed was. He sat down nervously beside her, looking at the floor to make it less uncomfortable for her.

Raven took a deep breath, a tiny smile creeping onto her face as she watched him twiddle his thumbs, knowing he was trying to make her feel comfortable. And it just might be working.

**I've waited all my life to cross this line  
To the only thing thats true  
So I will not hide  
It's time to try anything to be with you  
All my life I've waited**

"I was born in a place called Azarath..."

**This is true

* * *

**

_Well, there it is. Chapter 3...if you guys liked this one, I'll be happy to write a fourth. Review to keep this story going, flame if you must, but expect to be scorned. Constructivecriticism is always welcome. Peace, ya'll! -Dusty _


	4. First Date

_Long overdue, I know. Hopefully this will be worth the wait. It's extra long to compensate. :( Had to type it twice cuz the power went out before I could save...and I was more than half done too! Oh well..._

_CelticHeiressFiona: Thank you, sorry for the wait._

_Tecna: Thanks!_

_jambey: Over the top? Hmm...LOL yeah I enjoyed that, made him stop and think a bit. Hmm...why was Raven crying? Does anyone know? -glances around room innocently- Anyone?_

_Tifereth: Of course:) So glad you like it so far. Gotta update Silent Ashes, girl! I'm going crazy! ...well crazier than I already am._

_Majestical: Well, I try to take note of what people like and what bothers them...that way I can peacefully coexist with my readers. LOL I'm glad you liked it._

_Aeris-Raven: LOL yeah I enjoyed throwing that in. One of the reasons why I go for Rae/Rob is because Raven wouldn't be afraid to tell him off every now and then, unlike Starfire, and sometimes what Robin needs is a good telling off. LOL don't know...guess I just have good taste. I sorta scout around for a song, and well when I hear the right one, I know cuz it just sorta fits. And sometimes I'll discard a song choice cuz it just doesn't fit. Something like that. Anyway, thanks!_

_VerticallyxChallenged: LOL as a matter of fact, you do. -hands Tinker a blue badge reading "Dusty's Faithful Reviewer"- Yeah I really like the cd Origin, but I don't think I've ever heard that one...maybe I have...don't we all? LOL yeah, it was like Switched. Looks like it cut off your review again! -curses-_

_Mina: Yay! Glad you liked it. LOL well honestly I don't much like the little alien, but I don't want her dead...except if she did something horrid to Raven. Hmm...seems like you're quite the poet. I write them sometimes...but I want to be an author, and something in my brain says I can't do both. I am a little bit odd sometimes (and now I've taken Robin's place for the understatement of the year award)._

_Mystyre: Hmm...well if you want to invite him over for tea that is just fine with me, as long as you get him home by curfew, but other than that, I'm afraid I just can't part with him. And I'm updating all my security systems, so don't even think about it! Yeah it was quite depressing wasn't it? Fraid it's not going to get any better either..._

_Strixvaria: Glad you liked it and sorry for the long wait._

_BlackDove: Yeah, it was intentional. I like to throw tidbits from the show in every now and then. I try...my mom is an English freak. She taught me well._

_rubianca: Thanks! Always good to get a new reader._

_multitude: Yes definately. To me, Rob/Rae is THE ONLY Teen Titans couple. Sorry for the wait._

_riawolf: Thanks!_

_YoukaiTenshi: I'm glad you liked it. Sorry, but I'm not allowed to email...something about internet stalkers...otherwise I would._

_Reggie Tuesday: I think you should risk the beatings...every writer has the right to write as they please! Lol! Yeah...I just felt like doing something a bit different._

_Helen: O.O What are you suggesting? ...Thanks for reading, I'm glad you like it._

_The day after the last chap. **I DO NOT OWN THE SONG FIRST DATE, BY BLINK 182.

* * *

**_

_"So...uh, I was planning on maybe going for pizza tomorrow night, catch a movie afterwards. Are you free?" Robin cast a sidelong glance at Raven, hoping he sounded casual and unnaffected._

_Raven considered for a moment, her eyes fixed on his midriff rather that his face. "All right. Pizza Hut, five o'clock. See you there."_

If only it were that simple.

**In the car I just can't wait  
To pick you up on our very first date**

"It's not a date!" he mumbled, for the umpteenth time that day. Robin sighed, taking one last glance in the mirror. The baggy jeans and Blink 182 shirt made him feel uncomfortable, to say the least. He was desperately hoping he didn't look like a complete idiot. Tweaking a wild spike of hair degectedly, Robin was forecefully reminded of a little joke Bruce loved to throw at him when he was younger. "You look like you stuck your tongue in a toaster, then tried to repair the damage by dunking your head in Elmer's Glue."

"Thanks a lot, Wayne," he muttered, giving his shirt a tug as he left the room, trying to walk normally despite the little demon that was using his stomach as a stress ball. He quickened his pace as he passed Raven's door, the demon switching tactics and deciding to just chew on him instead. Three or four hours alone with Raven. Well, at least he knew the evening would be far from boring.

**Is it cool if I hold your hand?  
Is it wrong if I think it's lame to dance?**

The R-cycle skidded to a hault in front of the peaked, red roof of Pizza Hut, and a very flustered Robin dismounted hurriedly, nearly tripping in haste and nervousness. Beads of sweat were clustered on his forehead, and he was sure that his face was as red as the roof.

A slight ding announced his arrival as he stepped through the door, glancing around the crowded and noisy room in search of a familiar face. And there she was, dark head bowed slightly as she leafed through the pages of her book in a corner booth by the window. "It's not a date. There's no reason to be nervous. Just a friendly night out between friends." Robin sighed deeply, giving his shirt another tug. "That's what I was afraid of."

**Do you like my stupid hair?  
Would you guess that I didn't know what to wear?**

Before he could even open his mouth, Raven spoke calmly, not bothering to look up from her book. "Either you're late or I was incredibly early."

Robin blinked in surprise, and once again Raven answered before he could ask. "I could sense you about a mile away. Feeling a bit nervous, are we?"

Boy Wonder could have sworn that the room was a good ten degrees warmer as he sat down opposite the dark sorceress. "What are you reading?" he asked stiffly.

She held up the book, eyes still glued to the words. The cover was black, with swirls of shimmering orange and red, a bright yellow orb at its center. The words "Artemis Fowl The Opal Deception" were written in bold white letters across the top. "Is it good?" he asked, interested in what lay behind that intriguing cover.

Raven nodded silently. "It's the fourth. Have you ever read them?"

"No."

Raven finally tore herself away from the page, looking across the table at him with eyes, no doubt, still lost in the story. "Guns, martial arts, high-speed chases, a genius. You would probably like them." She smiled slightly, and his heart skipped a beat. "The main character is a criminal, though."

Robin quirked an eyebrow. "Is that so?" Suddenly he found his muscles relaxing and the heat leaving his face.

Raven nodded, still smiling as though she knew an amusing secret. "He's more borderline, really. Like Red X."

"Don't think we'd get along," grinned Robin.

Raven laughed quietly, setting aside the book and fixing him with her crystalline gaze. "So what's your favorite book? Or are you too much of a bad boy to read?"

Robin smiled, resting his hands on the tabletop. "Hmm...well I've just recently mastered Curious George." Raven choked on a mouthful of Sprite, laughing a little louder than she generally allowed herself to. Robin's smile got a little wider, the tension in his stomach easing. True, he was still nervous, but an evening with Raven no longer seemed like certain death. Heck, he might even have fun.

**I'm just scared of what you think  
You make me nervous so I really can't eat**

"Well, I like a good mystery, but I'm sure you guessed that. I've been known to read the occasional thriller. For all-time favorite, I would have to say The Counte of Monte Cristo." He glanced up at her, feeling a need for reassurance. The look on her face was almost...open, if Raven could be such a thing. She was at ease, as comfortable as someone like Raven could be. "So, you like Artemis Fowl and The Book of Azarath. Anything else?"

Raven rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Do you have a year? The Harry Potter books, A Series of Unfortunate Events, anything by Edgar Allen Poe, especially The Tell-Tale Heart, the Wheel of Time series, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Inkheart, Protector of the Small...Should I go on, or do you get the idea?"

Robin laughed. "No, I think I've got it. When do you find the time? Between battles and preparation for battles, I don't get much time to myself." Relaxing allowed him to realize just how tired he was. He and Raven had stayed up well past three in the morning talking, and now he was starting to feel the effects. He scrubbed his hands through his hair, stifling a yawn.

"I don't sleep much." Raven didn't elaborate as the waitress chose that moment to show up with their pizza. Raven smiled slightly as Robin's face lit up.

"Double pepperoni! That's my--"

"Favorite. I know." Raven was silent for a moment, then she looked up at him. "Evanescence."

"Blink 182," he said, automatically.

She raised an eyebrow, and the blush returned in full force as he realized that was incredibly obvious. "Enya."

"Third Eye Blind."

"Dashboard Confessional."

"Simple Plan."

Raven nodded silently. "Maroon 5?"

Robin smiled. "Yeah."

**Let's go  
Don't wait  
This night's almost over**

A momentary silence followed, but it wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as usual. Raven spoke first. "This," she motioned to his clothes, "is very different from your usual garb. I have to ask, why did you choose to look like a walking traffic light?"

Robin's heart sank slightly at the memories her question called forth. He might as well tell her. She knew everything else anyway, thanks to last night's little heart-to-heart. Well, almost everything. "Modeled after my...our circus uniforms. Sort of like a...a tribute, I suppose."

Raven's face became instantly solemn as she nodded, head down and picking awkwardly at her food. Robin searched franticly for a change of subject, desperate to get rid of that horrible pressured silence between them. He didn't want her to pity him. "Now, I'm pretty sure I know this already, but what the heck. What's your favorite color?"

Raven's smile crept back slowly. "Black, blue, purple, and...never mind."

Robin raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"Nothing." A hint of a blush threw some color into her pale cheeks as she stabbed fiercely at her pizza.

"Come on. We're not leaving 'til you spill. What, is it pink?" he asked, grinning mischievously.

Raven glared. "Hardly." She rolled her eyes, twisted the napkin around her finger, and mumbled something inaudible.

"What was that, Raven? I didn't quite hear."

She sighed, fixing her eyes on the tabletop. "Butter yellow. Go on, laugh. I'd hate to see you burst a blood vessel trying to hold it in." After several minutes of silence, she glanced up cautiously. Robin was smiling gently at her, his face as unreadable as always. "I would never laugh at you, Raven." He glanced down at his watch, and cursed quietly; not something he generally did. "We're missing the movie! Come on!" Tossing a twenty on the table, he grabbed Raven's hand and raced through the swinging doors, leaping on the R-cycle and tossing an extra helmet to Raven.

"I suggest you hold on tight, because this is gonna be one heck of a ride."

**Honest  
Let's make  
This night last forever**

At first, Raven's hands remained firmly at her sides, but after Robin swerved wildly around the first corner and nearly unseated her, she decided it was in her best interest to get a good grip on the crazy driver's shirt. She frowned as a sudden upsurge of emotions broke through her defenses, bringing a very odd and uncomfortable twisting feeling to her gut. It was so mixed and muddled that she couldn't tell if these emotions belonged to Boy Wonder (completely unthinkable) or herself (highly unlikely). All thought stopped as she squeezed her eyes shut, her fists clenching around a handfull of his shirt as the wind whipped past them, ripping her hood back and blasting her face with ice. She couldn't be sure above the roaring in her ears, but she thought she heard him laughing into the frigid, howling wind.

**Forever and ever  
Let's make this last forever**

"Are you insane?" she shouted in his ear as her heart and stomach tapdanced and her arms cramped from holding on so tightly.

"This is fun!" he yelled back. A grin spread over his face as cold air whipped across it, adrenaline coursed through him, and the thrill of speed and danger and risk swept him up in one never-ending joyride. He was alive in a way that only this level of exhileration could bring; alert and complete, with the wind in his face and the girl he loved beside him.

**Forever and ever  
Let's make this last forever**

A very short time later they skidded to a hault that brought Raven smacking into Robin's back. It being a Friday night, the parking lot was packed with all the local teenagers, girl cuddled up to guy as he graciously payed for her ticket. Robin felt heat creep into his face despite the chill wind as he watched them walking two-by-two. Would she expect him to hold her like that, to pay for her things, to make her laugh with a witty comment or blush as he whispered in her ear? His stomach jumped into his throat at the thought. What in Hades had he gotten himself into?

"I'd hate to see how you treat your enemies. Oh wait, I already have."

He whipped around to see Raven dismounting shakily, her hair a tangled mess and her cloak in disarray. He tried to hurry over and help her, but tripped on a crack in the pavement, stumbling forward and crashing right into the R-cycle. He cringed, then turned pale as it tottered, then smashed into the cruel, unforgiving asphalt. "MY BIKE!" Robin stood staring at it, trying hard not to hyperventilate. It would be scratched, dented, no longer its perfect shiny self. True, it could be fixed, but the R-cycle had hardly recieved a chip in all its faithful years of service...except, of course, for that Rancid incident.

He was jerked out of his jibbering state of panic by a peal of laughter, immediately followed by an explosion. There stood Raven, hand clamped firmly over her mouth and shaking with suppressed giggles. He blushed furiously, glaring at the ground as she continued to laugh behind her hand. What was so darn funny?

**When you smile I melt inside  
I'm not worthy for a minute of your time**

He was such an idiot! Oh yeah, Raven would really like him now. A bumbling, blundering, blushing idiot, that was him. Her laughter was barely audible, but it seemed to ring in his ears as an imaginary crowd gathered to point and laugh. Why had he asked her? Why had he even come? "Sure, laugh it up. Nothing funnier than watching me make a fool of myself. At least I can provide entertainment." He kicked a rock viciously, sending it flying halfway to the theatre doors.

"Oh, come on. You have to admit, it was pretty funny." When Robin continued to glare, she sighed. "Are you all right?" Her tone was careful, even gentle.

"Just peachy" he grunted, not sure if his pride was fully healed yet. Struggling to regain some of his dignity, he righted the motorcycle and took off towards the theatre, calling over his shoulder, "We've already missed the first ten minutes!"

**I really wish it was only me and you  
I'm jealous of everybody in the room**

Robin walked up to the ticket window and forked over the cash automatically, his body on autopilot as his brain ran amock. So far, he had been late for dinner, blushed like a fool over silly comments, made them both late for the movie, scared Raven half to death on the ride over, and tripped over his own feet. Not exactly his idea of the perfect date...outing.

"All right, and that's the second theatre on your left. Enjoy the show!"

Armed with popcorn and soft drinks, Robin walked through the doors, his face an interesting shade of green. _"Relax. It's not that bad. You'll be fine..."_ Somehow that did nothing to calm his nerves.

"You look like you're marching to a battle of a thousand to one. I'm sure the movie won't be _that_ scary." Raven was looking at him, but he refused to meet her eye, preferring to study his shoes. Right now, horror flicks were the least of his worries.

**Please don't look at me with those eyes  
Please don't hint that you're capable of lies**

With no small amount of stumbling and whispered apologies, Robin and Raven finally found a seat and settled down to watch what was left of the movie. Every now and then Raven glanced over at him, taking in the beads of sweat on his forehead and his hands clasped firmly in his lap. She had never thought someone could be so tense while in a relaxed position, but it was true. Every muscle was a coiled spring; she could almost feel the knots forming in his arms and legs. Why was he so nervous? You would think she had sprouted horns and venomous fangs. Did she do something to make him angry or upset? Aside from some light teasing, no... Come to think of it, he had been acting very...strange for about two weeks now. Try as she might to sort it out and "read" his behavior, Raven was completely in the dark. Unless...no. It was much too soon for anything like that.

Leaning toward him, she whispered, "Well, I'm lost. How about you?"

"I...I, uh..." Robin struggled to form at least one complete sentence, but everything was coming out in muddled fragments. She was close, very very close. He wouldn't have been surprised if she could hear his heart battering against his ribs as though trying to smash its way out of his chest. There was no way...surely she could feel it...she must know. "R-raven, I...I need to, uh, tell you something." He couldn't seem to find enough air to fill his lungs as the room grew hot and began to spin.

**I dread the thought of our very first kiss  
A target that I'm probably gonna miss**

"What is it, Robin?" she whispered, trying to discern a hurricane of secondhand emotions.

"SHH!" An agitated movie-goer leaned back and glared at them fiercely. "Shut up or get out!"

Robin almost sighed in relief as she turned back towards the screen...and yet some small, foolish part of him was...disappointed. It was just one more opportunity passed up because of his own fear. If not now, when? If not here, where? Would he ever be free of this?

**Let's go  
Don't wait  
This night's almost over**

Raven gave him one last calculating stare before settling back in her seat to watch the movie; already half over. He had managed to put her off the trail thus far, but that wouldn't last for much longer. Robin was not only her leader, but also, when she thought about it, her best friend. She would find out what was bothering him, and together they would work it out. She would get him through it, no matter what it took.

**Honest  
Let's make  
This night last forever**

"Well, that was mediocre at best," commented Raven, referring to the supposed "horror film" they had just suffered through.

Robin nodded, his mouth firmly closed and his head tilted downward as they stepped out into the darkness of night. A barage of icy cold drops of water beat down on them, soaking through their clothes almost instantly. Without thought or hesitation, Robin pulled off his thick black hoody and draped it around Raven tenderly.

She glanced up at him, surprise giving way to a small smile as she pulled it around her and zipped it, tugging the hood up over her head. It was pleasantly warm, and...comforting, in a way. Maybe it was the feeling, maybe it was the scent, or maybe it was the knowledge that it was Robin's. It made her feel safe.

**Forever and ever  
Let's make this last forever**

Boy Wonder drove much slower on the trip back to the Tower; maybe because of the rain, or perhaps he didn't want to scare his passenger again. All the same, Raven kept her arms firmly wrapped around his waist, just in case.

By the time the R-cycle pulled into the garage, right next to Cyborg's "baby", both driver and passenger were extremely tired. Raven stifled a yawn, waiting by the door as Robin checked the security systems and locked up. He seemed a bit less coordinated than usual, fumbling over passwords he knew like the back of his hand. It never occurred to her that she was the cause of his absentmindedness.

**Forever and ever  
Let's make this last forever**

They walked silently through the tower, neither speaking a word until they reached Raven's door. "Thanks, Robin. I had a nice time." And she meant it, too. It had been the best...whatever it was that she had ever experienced. Ok, so it was the first as well, but still... Realizing she was still wearing his hoody, Raven hastened to take it off, not wanting him to think she was trying to claim it.

"No," he said, reaching out to stop her. "I mean...it's not really...you can keep it, if you want." He blushed, but it didn't matter much in the darkness of the hallway.

She smiled warmly at him, her fingers curled around the edge of his hoody. "Thanks. Well, uh...I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

Robin nodded, swallowing the words that had almost made it out of his mouth. "Yeah...see you tomorrow."

**Forever and ever  
Let's make this last forever

* * *

**

_Sheesh, that took longer than it should have. I really need to put Robin to work typing for me, cuz my hands are tired! Ok, I mentioned the 4th book of Artemis Fowl cuz I just couldn't help it! Absolutely awesome! If you haven't read the books yet, GO READ THEM RIGHT NOW! Ok, well you know the drill. Review to keep this story going (if you want I will write a chapter 5), flame if you want, it's a free country. Happy weekend, everybody! -Dusty_


	5. Crash and Burn

_Ok, fifth chapter, here we go._

_King Cheetah: Thanks._

_Miss A. LaRosa: LOL yeah I liked that one too. Thanks, I'm glad you liked it:)_

_rubianca: DO! You won't be disappointed! Yeah...bit ironic. Slade doesn't scare him (on most days) but a girl does. Poor Robin._

_Water81: Nah, I don't like resorting to violence. LOL thanks, I like to avoid the sex scene...I mean, come on! What are they, fifteen? That's just wrong! Glad you liked it!_

_jambey: You mean I don't get to visit with your nice friend? Bummer! -shivers- I watched the creepiest movie today! The Interpretor...scary assasin dudes all over the place! I hate when that happens...makes me want to smash it. Really? Hmm...well whoever she gets them from, they have extremely good taste :P It was all the snuggling teenagers...and the whole R-cycle incident...and then trying and failing to tell her the truth. Yeah, she did have her cloak on...but its kinda thin...and the hoody was big, very big...basically it would keep her warm and protect against the rain better. Now I know Rae could have done that with her powers, but I liked the idea. Very chivalrous of Robin. Uh...woops! -nervous sweat drop- Oh well._

_raeandrob4eva: SHE LIVES! Lol! Glad to have you back, and glad you like it so far! Hmm..more fluff...it's possible._

_otakualways: THE HORROR! LOL thanks for reading._

_Toasty souls: LOL thanks so much, glad you like it:) More it is then._

_Angel Vanilla: Yes ma'am, I certainly do! Yes, it was definitely exciting...but I think I like the third one best. So great watching Spiro and Artemis match wits. The troll part in the fourth book was just aweful tho! Nearly chewed off my own hand...Glad you like it._

_raggedywings: Thanks!_

_Aeris-Raven: LOL yeah I liked that one too. Yeah...kinda like in Hitch. The ladies like the guys that make a fool of themselves._

_Desanera: LOL...hmmm...I don't know about that. Hopefully you like this chapter._

_YoukaiTenshi: And how can I trust you? What reason do I have to believe on your word? LOL! Yeah I figured you weren't a stalker, but Mom sees things a bit differently. Glad you like it!_

_Mina: -sigh- Wish I was on vacation...ouch! Sunburn sucks! Nah, it's no problem, and the new chap was great! LOL yeah I liked that one too...such a smart aleck, he is. LOL yeah...I kinda pin my own likes and dislikes onto him when it comes to stuff they don't discuss in the show. Yes, you definitely should. They're great books. Glad you liked it:)_

_One to two days after the last chap. **I DO NOT OWN THE SONG CRASH AND BURN, BY SAVAGE GARDEN.

* * *

**_

Robin shuffled into the kitchen, yawning and scrubbing a hand through his hair. He really had no right to feel tired; it was ten o'clock, four hours later than he usually got up, but somehow he felt exhausted. It was almost like allowing himself to sleep appraised his body of exactly what it was missing. "Morning everybody. Sleep well?" he asked, smiling sleepily at his fellow Titans as he grabbed a barstool and reached for the morning paper.

"Good morning? GOOD MORNING? HA! Maybe some of us've had a good morning! Wish I could've been snoozing in my bed!"

Robin blinked, slightly surprised at Beast Boy's sudden attack. "Uh...who peed in your cheerios?"

Beast Boy scowled, bottom lip poking out in a childish pout. "RAVEN!"

Robin's eyes narrowed behind his mask. "What about Raven?" he demanded, sounding a lot more protective than he knew.

"What about her? LOOK AT THE TV!" he yelled, spit flying as he gesticulated furiously towards the couch.

Robin looked. The screen/window was utterly destroyed, which explained the odd breeze he had half-noticed upon entering the room. He jumped back, hopping on one foot and digging a shard out of his skin. Glass was scattered around the entire room, not just on the floor, but on the cupboards and counters as well, and that wasn't the only damage. The fridge was smoking, sparks flew from the lop-sided stove, and random bits of carpet were torn away from the floor. It looked like Hurricane Herman had struck in their living room. "What did you do?"

Beast Boy's mouth dropped open. "WHAT DID I DO? HELLOOO! WEREN'T YOU LISTENING? RAVEN'S THE ONE WHO--"

"You upset her. What did you do?" Robin glared fiercely behind his mask at the sputtering green changeling. Their relationship had been a bit...shaky ever since the whole Starfire incident, so he was not inclined to waste time being friendly.

Beast Boy turned to Cyborg, and suddenly he was no longer scowling, but grinning maliciously. "See, Cy? I told you!" Cyborg frowned, but did not respond.

Robin's eyes narrowed. "What are you mumbling about?" he snapped, a rising suspicion bringing an unnatural heat to his face.

BB turned back to him, the smug look still in place. "Oh nothing...just your little...'outing' with Raven. So, did you get some action?"

Forget unnatural heat. Robin's skin was on fire. "I...I don't know what you're talking about."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes and mimicked, "'I don't know what you're talking about'. Yeah, right! It's obvious, Bird Boy! You couldn't have Starfire, so you decided to set your sights a lot lower. Oh, how cute! You're blushing...almost as much as Raven did." The glint in his eyes drowned out their usual honest and cheerful light.

Robin was shaking slightly, fists and jaw clenched as he glared at Beast Boy. "Shut your mouth," he ordered, a dangerous growl escaping his lips.

The changeling stepped right up to him, standing on tip-toe to look him in the "eye". "Or what, Robin? You gonna sic your witch on me?"

That was the last straw. Before he could think, before he could stop himself, his fist shot out and collided with the smirking shape-shifter's face. He had rarely felt this angry before, and never at one of his teammates...but then again, none of his teammates had ever sunk so low.

Beast Boy stumbled back, his hand over his face and a trickle of blood seeping through his fingers. His eyes were wide with something that might have been fear or shock, probably both. Robin knew he should have felt guilty, knew he should have apologized and helped his friend up, but instead he found himself turning his back without a word. He had to find Raven.

* * *

The door was closed, and she was crying. Robin found himself wishing he had hit Beast Boy a little harder as he knocked hesitantly on the door. "Raven?"

**When you feel all alone  
And the world had turned its back on you**

The quiet sobs continued, as painful as a knife in the ribs. No, not just hit him. He should have kicked him all the way to Intensive Care. Battling down the rock in his throat, he tried again. "Raven? Can I come in?" He sighed, leaning his forehead on the cool metal door. "Please, Rae. Please just let me in." When there was no response, he grew desperate. No more games. "Raven, I'm coming in." He knew all of their passwords, of course. Just one of those leader things. The door slid open, and he stepped through cautiously. Robin's heart was hammering, the anger that fueled that punch still coursing through him as he flexed his fingers gingerly. The knuckles would probably be bruised, but that was nothing compared to what Beast Boy would be looking at for the next week. This thought gave him a sort-of grim satisfaction, though it wasn't enough to quell his fury.

Once his eyes had adjusted to the dark, he saw Raven sitting by the heavily curtained window, surrounded by papers, books, and chunks of plaster lying helter-skelter around the room. But that wasn't what bothered him. His heart sank as she turned away, hiding her face in the curtain, her shoulders shaking slighlty. All anger faded out of him, and he wished he had it back.

**Give me a moment please  
To tame your wild wild heart**

"Raven, look at me." His eyebrows were drawn into a peak, a deep frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. This was all his fault. If it weren't for his stupid, childish feelings, she wouldn't have been put through this. "Rae..."

"It's not your fault." She still faced the curtain, but the sound of her voice was comforting, even as the pain within it tore at his heart. "Don't blame yourself. It only makes things worse."

Robin took a hesitant step forward, silently pleading with her to look at him. He felt hollow without those amethyst eyes. "Raven, don't listen to what that idiot says. It's not true, any of it."

A deep sigh ruffled the black velvet curtain slightly. "This isn't about Beast Boy. Well...not entirely, anyway."

Robin frowned until his head began to ache. More? What else could there be?

"Robin..."

His heart plumetted, the way she said that dragging forth a truckload of his worst memories. Here he was again, he had let himself fall for the same stupid trick, only this time...it would hurt ten times worse.

**I know you feel like the walls are closing in on you  
It's hard to find relief and people can be so cold**

A bitter laugh drifted across the air, filled with more pain than any sob had ever contained. "I suppose you can tell from the mess that my powers are not what one would call 'under control'."

Robin nodded slowly. What must it be like to be so enhanced and yet so limited by your abilities? To be in constant fear of hurting the ones you loved? He had experienced his fair share of that, but never to the extent that Raven suffered daily. People might not think it to look at them, but Raven was much stronger than he would ever be.

"Robin...these past few days have been... I can't do this, Robin. The price is far higher than I can afford. The risk is too great." Her voice, though bitter, was once again calm and emotionless, giving no hint to the pain in her eyes and the tears coursing down her cheeks.

His mouth turned instantly dry, his tongue unwilling to move as he fought for words. "Raven..."

**When darkness is upon your door and  
You feel like you can't take anymore**

"No. I could have hurt him. I could have hurt Cyborg. I could have hurt..." Raven's voice trembled ever-so-slightly, these words choking her as though trying to stay inside and never be heard. "...You." She drew in a long, slow breath, and let it out carefully. "I can't let that happen, Robin. Ever."

No! There had to be a way! "Raven..."

**Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night**

"It's been...fun, Robin. I really enjoyed spending time with you. It's good to have a friend I can count on, but...my powers..." She sighed heavily, still facing the curtain. "I'm not made for fun."

His stomach tightened. Friend. She considered him a friend. Nothing more...and perhaps not even that anymore. "Rae..."

"I can't, Robin! I can't, don't you get that?" she yelled, but there was no anger in her voice; only sadness. "I can't have what I want. Ever."

Before he knew what he was doing, Robin gently took her by the shoulders, guiding her out of her seat and turning her to face him. Raven's eyes searched his face, flitting from his mask to his mouth, and back again. His face was grim, hurt or pain or disappointment creasing his brow and drawing his lips into a tight line. Almost matter-of-factly, he drew her against him, and wrapped his arms around her. The tears began to fall.

**If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart**

"Robin...he...I didn't meant to...I'm sorry...always sorry..." she sobbed, still trying to hold herself together. She would _not_ be a weak little child, not in front of Robin! ...Too late.

"Shhh...it's ok, Raven. It's ok." He felt the sting of his own tears, felt his own heart being ripped to shreds, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was Raven.

"I hate it. I _hate_ it." This was beyond pain. No words could describe what her voice did to him. He knew that Raven felt infinitely more than she let on, but he never knew...never could have comprehended, and even now, it was hard to grasp. Like being hit by a tsunami and trying to understand every drop of water and every particle of debris simultaneously. He could hardly breathe with the enormity of it, but he continued to hug her, to stroke her hair, to do everything in his power to stop the wave.

**If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone**

"Beast Boy...he said..." She was still crying, but her sobs were slowly subsiding, driven away by his comforting presence. "Why did you ask me to the movie, Robin? Why are you in here? Why do you...want to spend time with me?"

Robin tensed, a blush creeping into his cheeks. He'd better back out fast, or he would find himself with a stake through his heart again. "No reason. I..._care_ about you, Raven. You're my..._friend_." The lies were hard to get out, leaving a bad taste on his tongue as the little voice in the back of his head screamed, _"NO YOU IDIOT!"_ "Beast Boy doesn't know what he's talking about. Don't listen to him." He smiled, though it almost killed him. "You belong here, Raven." _Here with me._

**When you feel all alone  
And a loyal friend is hard to find  
You're caught in a one-way street  
With the monsters in your head**

She lifted her head slowly, looking him straight in the eye. "No, I don't. I don't belong anywhere." Raven's next words surprised even her. "I just...I try so hard to help people, I want to help people, but no matter what I do, someone always ends up hurt. I can bring no happiness, only pain and destruction. I don't belong anywhere, Robin." She tried to pull away, but Robin's hands were on her shoulders, gripping them gently but firmly.

"You belong here, Raven." His voice shook slightly, but this did not detract from the power of his words. "_You belong here_."

**When hopes and dreams are far away and  
You feel like you can't face the day**

Raven felt almost stunned. She stared at him, completely speechless. What was this feeling? "Why?"

Without breaking her paralyzing gaze, he gently took her hand, placing it over his heart and holding it there. His other hand slowly inched towards her, finally finding its rest against the reassuring beat of his Raven's beautiful heart. Robin had not said a word, but in that instant, she knew why. She knew everything. She could feel it in the very beating of his heart.

**Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night**

"Robin..." She felt breathless, utterly unable to resist as his face drifted towards hers. A vague fear pulsed in the back of her mind, and she tried to bring it into focus, but all she could see was Robin. So fast...all of it happening so fast...what to do? "Robin, I can't--"

"No more words." With that whispered reply, Robin closed the distance. He had to know...he couldn't take anymore of this; everything was gray without Raven, nothing seemed worthwhile. No more hiding, no more fear. No more half-life.

This feeling...it had no name. At least, no name that could truly do it justice. It was like the first breath of life, like the plunge of death. It was stumbling forward in the darkness to be met by the sunbeams of morning. Slowly, lovingly, it pried open her locks, crumbled her fortresses, vanished her barriers, and all without her knowledge. Nothing mattered. Nothing but Robin.

**If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart**

It was everything -_everything_- he had ever dreamed of and more. The world and all its glories were pale in comparison. He was truly alive for the first time. Raven was inside him, surrounding him, knowing everything, seeing him as no other person had ever seen him before. He was helpless, he was weak -oh so weak-, he was vulnerable, but it didn't matter. He didn't need a mask. Not with Raven.

**If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone**

At first, her power merely struck the odd book, tearing out a page or scorching a cover, but slowly, black tentacles began to gather, weak at first but steadily growing in strength. The darkness wrapped itself around Robin, pulsing, tightening...

With a gasp of pain and surprise, Robin pulled back, eyes widening as they fell upon Raven and the dark tendrils of power emenating from her. They were constricting, slowly squeezing the air from his lungs as he choked, his ears ringing and his eyes growing dark...

"NO! ROBIN! Azarath Metrio--"

Robin was lifted off the ground and slammed against the wall, his head rebounding helplessly, the impact nearly sending him into unconsciousness. But her power was not through yet. With a sickening lurch, he sped away from the wall, and approached it once again, gathering speed...

Horrified, desperate, Raven fought wildly against Rage, released by her carelessness and quickly overpowering her. Sweat broke out on her forehead, her fists clenched as she shook from head to toe. Summoning all of her strength, she hit Rage like a whirlwind, pushing and straining until, at long last, the barriers were restored, the locks clicked into place, and the fortress was impenetrable once more. "STOP!"

Mere inches from the wall, the black tendrils of power released him, trailing away aimlessly like swirls of smoke, contianed and controlled once more. Robin slumped weakly to the ground, gasping and choking on the greatly missed blessing of oxygen as pain throbbed dully through him. He was still a little unsure as to how one minute, he was in Heaven, and the next, he was becoming personally aquainted with the wall. Then he heard a loud curse from somewhere above him, and the pieces fell into place. Raven had lost control.

"Robin! No...I..." She twisted her hands together, standing over him as he sat up unsteadily, a small trickle of blood running down the side of his face.

**Cause there has always been heartache and pain  
But when it's over you'll breathe again**

Robin struggled to his feet, holding onto the wall for support. "Raven, I'm fine. Don't--"

"Get out."

**You'll breathe again**

Robin's eyes widened behind his mask. "But, Raven--"

"Get out now." Raven took a ginger step toward him, and shoved him hard in the chest, a solitary tear running down her cheek. "I can't, Robin. Just...just go! Now!"

"Raven, I won't--"

"For once in your life, listen to someone besides yourself!" Raven pushed and shoved him out the door, letting it slide closed behind him. With a thick sheet of cold metal between them, Raven relaxed ever-so-slightly, sliding down the door to sit, hunched over and panting, on the floor. Never again. She could never let that happen again.

**When you feel all alone  
And the world has turned its back on you**

Robin stood absolutely still, his eyes burning holes in the door; the only thing keeping him from Raven. Didn't she understand? He didn't care what happened to him. What was a little cut, if it meant he could be with her? "Raven? I'm not going to just go away. I don't care what happens! ...Raven? I..." The words stuck in his throat. Even now, he couldn't make himself say them. "Raven..."

**Give me a moment please  
To tame your wild wild heart**

"Please, just go."

Those words chilled him to the bone, ringing in his ears like a death sentence as his face slowly hardened, lips drawn into a tight, neutral line. There was his answer. He reached up and adjusted his mask, almost as though to make sure it was still there, then strode away, back straight and head erect. He passed up his bedroom door, heading in the general direction of the training room to take it out on the machines. What better way to cure heartache than to throw yourself recklessly into your work? He had to forget...had to forget her...

**Let me be the one you call  
If you jump I'll break your fall  
Lift you up and fly away with you into the night  
If you need to fall apart  
I can mend a broken heart  
If you need to crash then crash and burn  
You're not alone**

Forgetting Raven was like deciding not to breathe.

* * *

_There you have it. We all knew it was going to happen some day. Review and tell me what you think, review and keep this story alive! I have an idea for chapter six, but you have to review to get it! Laters people! -yawns wide enough to swallow China- ...Dusty Oh, and let's all pray that my story (or maybe my whole acount) does not get deleted!  
_


	6. Only One

_Well, I'm back and horribly terrified that this story will be removed. Please, Please, PLEASE don't hurt me, nice fanfiction staff! Oh, and one more thing. If you like what I write...maybe you will like what I like, and here are two stories that I really, really like. The Only One Who Knows Me, by Furubafun24 and Silent Ashes, by Tifereth Kantrishakrim. Go read them, it will be more than worth it!_

_jambey: LOL thanks, I had fun making Beast Boy a butthead...and it fits with the story, so hey. All righty then, anything for a buddy! ...does this mean we don't get to have a game of tag with your assasins? -pouts-_

_King Cheetah: LOL maybe..._

_Mina: Yeah...enough is enough, everybody has a breaking point. LOL hey, what's wrong with that? I'm honored that you liked the new chapter...and your raerob one-shot was awesome! More? Pweez? Yeah, she needs some alone time. LOL thanks, I liked that too._

_Water81: Yeah...I guess...I suppose what I'm saying is I would never write it, and my personal feeling is that it's wrong. But I acknowledge that a lot of people don't feel that way. It's pretty hard not to have something that someone else has written...the ideas were my own, so if they sound like other things you've read, it's a coincidence. Glad you like it...and we'll see._

_Inuyasha's Lady: Thanks:)_

_Unforeseen: I'll do my best._

_Darkofthenight: Sorry it took so long._

_mysti-eyed: Okie dokie._

_otakualways: LOL yes indeed. We'll see about that one...he's already looking pretty rough._

_Reggie Tuesday: Sorry dude, that's a bummer. Oh, how mistaken you are on that one! Artemis and I go waaaay back._

_Spunksterdawg: Happy twist...I'll get to work on that...but I'll need some time. Bear with me._

_finalitylife: LOL yeah...must have felt really good. Yeah, it sucks...I enjoyed exploring that side to her. Thanks!_

_HappyGoAnime: Hmm...as long as I have ideas and you guys like it, the story will go on. Glad you liked it._

_Tinkerbell: No prob. Happy ending? We'll see. Uh...should I lie and escape your wrath or be truthful and get the silent treatment? Yeah I'm out of school. We start like September 20..around there. Yeah, hopefully they don't close it...if they do, I'll have to start fresh. Reupload everything and just take out the song lyrics, but I'm really hoping they don't do that. _

_The Titans Fallen Angel: Wow, I'm flattered. Thank you so much for reading:)_

_YoukaiTenshi: LOL good, cuz I don't. Sorry it took so long._

_Reggie Tuesday: LOL I'll see what I can do. Whoa...yeah he is one of those, and he's certainly barf-colored. Lol. _

_raerob4eva: -bows-_

_A Titans fan: Wow, thanks! I will continue as long as people like you continue to read and review. Thanks so much!_

_dragon: Glad you like it!_

_Angel Vanilla: Yeah, they are all awesome. Ew...it was nasty...it's basically the same concept of Poison Ivy's sparkly junk...pheromone or w/e. Thanks!_

_DeathIsOnlyTheBeginin: Hmm...you will probably see in a little while. I'll work it in somewhere. I know...I started reading one of your stories, and it was good! I usually don't review till I get to the end...and then I had the last couple weeks of school to worry about...but now school is out so I will definitely come check it out. Don't feel guilty, I want to read them...so far I just haven't had time. Glad you like the story!_

_Kitsune6: Thanks. Hmm...I'll do my best...but I love angst. It's a weakness. Well, it's only been that way for two chapters so far, but ok. Glad you like it.  
_

_Couple hours after the last chap. _**I DO NOT OWN THE SONG ONLY ONE, BY YELLOWCARD! PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!

* * *

**

_Right, left, kick, back; right, left, kick, back; right, left, kick back._

A long streak of dried blood spidered down one side of his face, painfully obvious against the unnatural white of his skin, pale despite the rivers of sweat creeping down his back and flattening his hair to his skull. Robin did his best to fill his mind with that simple chant, block out all stupidity and weakness, kill the memories, but it wasn't enough. He pushed harder, his muscles screaming and his head pounding with the pressure; _right, left, kick, back; right, left, kick, back. Still_ not enough.

**Broken, this fragile thing now  
And I can't, I can't pick up the pieces**

_"Raven? I'm not giong to just go away. I don't care what happens! ...Raven? I..."_

_"Please, just go."_

**And I've thrown my words all around  
But I can't, I can't give you a reason**

He swallowed hard, a large and extremely violent monster trying to claw its way out of his throat and eyes as they burned a warning. No! Anything but that! He had already made a complete idiot out of himself, and now he was going to be a sniveling, stupid, weak...

Robin screamed, let it all out in one long burst of frustration, pain, regret, anger...loneliness. He squeezed his eyes shut, clenched his fists, bit his lip, desperately fighting that word, that feeling...that essence. But Pluto can hardly forget the sun, no matter how hard it tries.

Raven.

_"Listen, I know it seems horrible now...but in time, it will fade. It will heal, Robin."_

Raven.

_"It's good to see you...alive again. You had me worried for a while there."_

RAVEN.

_"It...it doesn't have to be this way. For you, or for me."_

RAVEN!

_"Thanks, Robin. I had a nice time."_

**RAVEN!**

_"I can't, Robin. Just...just go! Now!"_

Robin lashed out at the punching bag blindly, blinking furiously and swallowing over and over again. He couldn't breathe...his body was broken.

**I feel so broken up  
And I give up  
I just want to tell you so you know**

"No," he growled, giving up on the punching bag to almost claw away the tears, vainly attempting to stem the flow. He swallowed hard, trying to stop the violent shaking in his weakened and pain-filled body. His very skin was crawling, his stomach churned nautiously, his teeth chattered with an unexplainable cold. He felt so small...so lost...so helpless. Stubbornness could only last so long, pretending could only do so much. The tears fell, the shaking persisted, and his legs gave out on him, too exhausted and abused to serve him any longer. _"Either fools fall in love or love makes a fool out of the most intelligent of men."_ In this case, Bruce was right on both counts. Just the sight of Raven scattered all his wits, a combination of an unexpected drop, fingernails on a chalkboard, and the exhileration of a high-speed chase leaving him a stuttering idiot. It was stupid, it was hopeless, but it was true. He loved Raven, and there was not a darn thing anyone could do about it...not even Raven herself.

**Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you  
You are my only one**

Robin leaned back against the wall, his legs stretched out in odd directions and his hands lying carelessly at his sides. Why was he so stupid? What had made him think that this time would be any different? It was always fine and dandy until he opened up and spilled out his idiotic feelings...that's when they backed out, pulled away, rejected him so fast it made his head spin. Sure, they would go get pizza with him, they would talk to him, they would ride a ferris wheel with him, but when it came to love, he just wasn't the right guy.

_"You idiot, that's not true! Raven is nothing like Starfire!"_

Was that true? She had led him along and dropped him, just like Starfire did. But then...Star had never kissed him...

_"Raven didn't kiss you! You kissed her, agaisnt her wishes!"_

Raven had tried to stop him, but...he had felt so sure that this was what she wanted, so certain that he saw love in her eyes, and hadn't she kissed him back?

_"You were too wrapped up in yourself to notice."_

Humiliation burned in the pit of his stomach. What must Raven think of him now? She had trusted him, she had confided in him, and this is what he did to repay her? What a jerky thing to do!

But somehow...he couldn't help himself. It was the lighting, that was it; the way the darkness made her eyes shimmer and glow with a radiance all their own, the way the tears sparkled on her cheek or tangled in her long lashes. It was the way she looked at him, like she was seeing straight through to his soul and loving it in spite of its darkness. He couldn't help himself.

**I'd let go, but there's just no one that gets me like you do  
You are my only, my only one**

Eventually, sleep claimed the weary warrier, enveloping him in its darkness, screams, blood...and all the while, a pair of amethyst eyes burned into him, so near and yet so utterly unattainable.

* * *

_Screeching...horrible, hideous screeching...the screams of Hell..._

"Robin!"

Slowly the room came into focus, and the screams became the wails of a siren as the dream slowly died, leaving Robin breathing hard, sweat running down his face. He swallowed, mouth dry as dust, and ran his fingers through his soaking wet hair, trying to calm the wild beating of his heart.

"ROBIN!"

He jumped, fumbling for his communicator. "H...hello?"

"Where are you, man? Can't you hear the siren?" Cyborg's face swam before his eyes.

"I'm coming," he said, then flipped the top down. The Earth didn't fall of its axis. Time stops for no man.

Robin stood, feeling unsurprisingly sore as he limped for the door. He probably looked like the Living Dead, but there was no time to clean up, and truthfully, he didn't much care.

**Made my mistakes, let you down  
And I can't, I can't hold on for too long**

Robin did his best to focus on the screen and read the long streams of information as they raced past his tired eyes, but none of it really sank in.

"Uh...Robin? What's the situation? Shouldn't we get going?"

"Wha...Oh. Y-yeah." He shook his head, blinking to clear his vision. "It's a robbery, down on Seventy-third. Shouldn't be too difficult." He turned away from the computer for the first time in minutes to lock eyes with the last person he wanted to see at the moment. His stomach lurched, but this time there was no exhileration, only pain. Those were the same eyes from his dream, and they pierced right through him just as they had then. Raven looked away, clearing her throat and twisting her pale white hands, and Robin told his legs to move, told his heart to beat, told his brain to forget about it. There was a job to do, regardless of what he wanted. This was his life... What a depressing thought.

**Ran my whole life in the ground  
And I can't, I can't get up when you're gone**

"Yo, Rob. You sure you're ok?"

Robin snapped back to reality again, slightly surprised to find himself in the T-car; he usually took his bike. Cyborg was staring back at him from the driver's seat, concern plain in his human eye. Robin noticed with a hollow sadness that Raven was sitting in the passenger's seat, staring out the window determinedly, while Starfire and Beast Boy were squeezed as close to the door and as far away from him as possible, whispering in low voices and darting furtive glances in his direction. One of the changeling's eyes was purple and swollen shut, his nose bruised and twice it's usual size. He didn't feel guilty, but then he wasn't pleased either. What did it all matter? All he could see was Raven's back, turned on him...maybe forever.

"Robin?" Cyborg craned his neck around, his eye giving Robin the once-over. Apparently his appearance did nothing to reassure the hybrid, judging by his frown and furrowed eyebrow.

"I'm fine." He was surprised at how calm and unaffected he sounded. Good. The last thing he wanted was for Raven to know just how much she had hurt him. "Keep your eyes on the road."

Cy shook his head and sighed, but he did as he was told. Robin glared down at his hands, trying to ignore the fact that Raven was ignoring him. He didn't care. It didn't matter. He was fine. "Great. So now you're an idiot, a jerk, _and_ a liar." With one last glance at the back of her head and a painful observation of the way her hair glistened in the early morning sunlight, Robin allowed himself to slip deep into his mind. As unpleasant as that was, it remained far better than the truth.

**And something's breaking up  
I feel like giving up  
I won't walk out until you know**

Seventy-third Street was in utter chaos. The roads were so packed with panicked civilians that Cyborg had to stop the car and let them out. After fighting through the crowds for a good three blocks, the cause of the disturbance became painfully clear. A group of thugs, waving guns and clubs, were running through the crowd, herding them down the street and away, conveniently enough, from the jewelry store, where their leader was shoving suspicious-looking black bags into a gray Hummer. Robin took it all in in the space of five seconds, and what he saw was an extremely satisfactory distraction, a perfect outlet for all the anger and pain. He _had _to stop thinking about her!

**Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you  
You are my only one**

Robin charged, his eyes wild behind the mask, an animalistic roar bursting from his lungs as he drew level with the first thug. The gangster brought his fist flying at Robin's chest, but he caught it, snapping the wrist backwards and sending his own punch smashing into the man's stomach. Boy Wonder gave him no time to catch his breath, leaping into the air and flip-kicking the back of his skull. The thug barely had time to see stars before darkness claimed him and he fell, senseless, to the pavement.

Robin didn't even pause to acknowledge the victory, but dodged the blow aimed at his head by thug number two, whipping around and kicking the attacker in the chest with a scream of fury. His fists flew faster than he could tell them to, his muscles forgot their pain as each move blended seamlessly with the next...or at least, that was how Batman had taught him to fight. _"Anger will not win your battles for you, Robin. Anger blinds your senses, distorts your aim." _Once again, he was right.

Robin winced as a blow connected with his face, blinding him with pain as a sharp sting spread through his nose: undoubtedly broken. He was barely able to duck a second punch, delivered by one of the numerous gang members. They were closing in, cutting him off from any possible assistance: classic manuevre. In their minds, he was as good as dead, and even Robin began to wonder as he failed to block another blow and the club collided with the side of his head, bringing him that much closer to defeat. With tremendous effort, he managed to land a few kicks and punchs, even taking out a couple of his attackers...but this only angered their buddies, and the ring became even tighter, the blows flying so fast from all directions that he could barely block one or two before several others broke through his defenses. His eyes were growing dark, pain fogging his mind...Was this what he wanted?

**I'd let go, but there's just no one who gets me like you do  
You are my only, my only one**

Thoughts of Raven drifted into his fading mind as anger left him and pain destroyed his protection. What had he done? Would he ever see her again? Not if the gang had anything to say about it...blows were coming faster and harder, the ring tightening, tightening...if he didn't do something soon, he would die. No doubt about it.

With the last vestiges of his strength, Robin lashed out at the thug in front of him. If he had to go out, he would go out with a bang...

But he never got the chance.

**Here I go, so dishonestly leave a note for you my only one**

The thug, tall and muscular with a black doo rag tied around his bald head, froze with his fist barely an inch from Robin's face, his dull gray eyes wide and fearful. The next second, he was jerked backwards and straight through the glass window of the jewelry store. Robin turned to see the rest of the gangsters meet a similar fate, crashing against walls and shashing through glass, all of them glowing an eerie black. In a matter of seconds, all were unconscious or incapacitated on the ground, the only sound that of store alarms and the distant wailing of sirens.

Eyes...how could a person have such eyes? Full of darkness, mystery, love, hate...seeing everything, knowing everything. They stabbed straight through his facade, swept away his denial, laid bare his pain. Clouded though his vision was, those eyes were painfully clear in a background of darkness. Why did she have to look at him? Why couldn't she just leave him alone to bleed?

**And I know you can see right through me  
So let me go, and you will find someone**

He kept waiting for her to speak, to yell at him for being stupid, to ask him questions that he couldn't answer, _something_...but all she did was stare, x-raying him with those amethyst eyes. Her mind was a closed book...if only he could say the same for his own.

"Robin!" Cyborg ran towards them, stepping around the bodies of the defeated gang to get there, moving rather jerkily; no doubt his power cell was low from the strenuous battle. He winced once he caught sight of Robin. "Whoa...what happened? Are you ok? Heal him, Raven!"

Raven hadn't once taken her eyes off him as Cyborg appeared, and she remained motionless, eyes wide as though staring down a ghost. At the half-robot's command, she walked slowly towards him, face just as unreadable as before. Resignation and defeat far worse than heartache weighed him down as she approached. Robin had finally come to the harsh realization that he could not make her love him, any more than he could fly to the moon. If her heart didn't ache and yearn as his did, if she didn't long to be always with him, if she didn't feel alive for the very first time when they kissed, there was nothing to say.

**Here I go, scream my lungs out and try to get to you  
You are my only one  
I'd let go, but there's just no one, no one like you  
You are my only, my only one**

Her pale hand reached out to touch him, glowing a faint blue, and for one moment, he wanted nothing more than to feel her touch again..._No. _He would take no charity from her. Robin jerked out of her reach, though it sent waves of pain through his entire body. "Don't do me any favors, Raven." Feeling her touch would be losing her all over again.

**My only one**

Raven recoiled, and for a split second, he thought he saw pain in her eyes. Surely he imagined it.

"Robin, you're...you need..." Cyborg approached him, fear in his human eye, but once again Robin pulled away, fighting against the desire to explode...or pass out. Slowly, unsteadily, he turned his back on them and limped away, breathing with difficulty, blinking away tears. Even his anger had deserted him now. He was alone...alone and slowly suffocating in the empty void. Life was death without Raven.

**My only one**

"Where...where are you going?" Cyborg called desperately.

"Home," said Robin, his voice betraying him with a slight quiver as his vision blurred and doubled, the ground heaving beneath his feet and tears of helplessness leaving tracks in the blood.

"Now wait a sec, Robin! You're hurt. Come back here and--"

"I can walk." He tried to yell, but all that came out was a choked whisper. His thoughts were breaking up, a word or two drifting here and there amid the pain and confusion. Raven...

**My only one**

His body finally rebelled against his mind, and he was vaguely aware of hitting the ground as darkness closed in on him, her name swirling around in his mind, echoing in every dark corner... _Raven._

**You are my only, my only one

* * *

**

_Don't look at me like that! I mean, how did you expect him to react? Yeah...this was my first chapter with action, but don't get used to it because the violence was only used to prove a point. Without Raven, Robin reverts back to his old ways...his old harmful ways. Though she doesn't know it, she gave him the strength and courage he needed to change...and now that she's gone... Well, I hope you liked it. I'll keep writing if you review, so if you like it I do believe you have a job to do. Laters, friends! -Dusty_


	7. Until Robin

_Yeah, I'm updating...much sooner than I thought I would, and the same probably goes for you. I'm a little...well a lot...high (sugar! just sugar I swear!) cuz I just got back from this insane class party...absolutely insane. I usually don't go to those kind of things...I'm a bit antisocial (I prefer to sit in my room scribbling away in my lovely blue notebook) but this was actually pretty fun. A violent game of foose (how in heck do you spell that?) ball, which I won of course, brought my spirits up nicely. Ok, now that I've rambled on and on about my boring life... Robin: And the world's smallest violin plays! Dusty: I like violins:)_

_alena-chan: Yeah...this fic was mostly just a chance for me to delve into his character and really show what he's all about...at least in my opinion. Robin: You did a pretty good job...possibly because I helped you write it? Dusty: Shh! I'm talking to my reviewer! Thanks so much, I've really enjoyed hearing from you. I try to be careful with song choice cuz it can really make or break the story. Oh, and To Please Her was soo funny! ...But you already know that. No problem, as long as I can read it, I'm good._

_Water81: Nah, I don't hate you, and no I don't mind. Contructive criticism is always good, I just thought it was a point worth mentioning. I think I understand what you mean. Thanks!_

_Chibi-Ra-Chan: O.O SHE LIVES! Lol I was beginning to think you were gone forever. No kidding! That would rock...Yeah I'm really hoping that too. Thanks! And BB, it takes one to know one. (not really true, but hey)_

_YoukaiTenshi: LOL good, I cheered someone up. Always nice. Here I am, updating soon._

_fallendreamz: Hmm...I think you are about to get your wish._

_Al the Pirate: Oh ye of little faith._

_mysti-eyed: Thanks! Yeah it was sad...but sadness has it's own beauty, too._

_Aeris-Raven: Me too...Yellowcard rocks! LOL yeah, I seem to be able to get inside his head fairly easily. (Robin: -pouts-) You most certainly do not suck at writing, so don't say that or I'll give you a virtual black eye! Really scared now, aren't ya? LOL glad you like it._

_Tony Dimera: Yeah, just a smidge. Hmm... LOL same here, pain and agony all around. Thanks:)_

_raggedywings: He does see...but because of the whole Starfire thing he assumes that it's his fault in some way, that she just doesn't think he's good enough, etc. etc. and so forth. Don't worry, he will wise up._

_otakualways: Very, very easily._

_rubianca: LOL so it would seem. -bows- I seem to be able to understand him fairly well. We're similar in many ways, so it's not too hard really. Glad you liked it!_

_Mina: Yeah, when I thought about it (and I actually did), this was what made most sense. He doesn't know how to handle pain, he doesn't know how to deal with sadness...so he will do just about anything to ignore it and pretend it isn't there, and that was the point of the gang and whatnot (yes, there was a point!). No, being the amazingly insecure person he is, he immediately assumes that there's something wrong with him. LOL so it is! You will see alot more of that in this chapter...I actually enjoy writing the big brother relationship between them. True, Cyborg isn't my favorite character but that doesn't mean I hate him. Yeah, it's not bad, considering I was extremely close to being named Chelsea. Hate the name...-shiver- so unoriginal and girly, but that's just me. LOL no prob. GOOD! Get to work, missy! I want to read more...chapter eleven was so good. Yeah, you should! Hmm...only songs that come to mind at the moment are You and Me, by Lifehouse and Meet You There, by Simple Plan. Maybe if you listened to those an idea would spark. LOL glad you liked it!_

_jambey: Yeah, I was a bit curious as to where you were. No prob or anything, just wondering. :( Yeah...looks like I can't fight my nature. But like I said at the end of chapter 6, there was a point to it. I wanted to show that without Raven, he reverts back to his old ways, because being with her gave him something else to live for (other than beating the crud out of the bad guys). Ooh, blockhead. Harsh. Something like that. Sounds fun. Slade foots the bill for mine, so no worries there. I mean, if he's gonna hang around, he might as well be useful. I think so too, I was wondering if you had died of too much homework or something of the like. Gah, I know how that story ends! I know exactly what happens, up to the epilogue...but it just won't come out! Grr...oh and I can't really preceed until I decide if I'm doing a sequel or not...that will alter the way I write it. So yeah, I've been working on it...sorry for the horrendous wait and I'll try to get my sh...stuff together._

_superman35405: Thanks! Glad to hear from you. My crystal ball is telling me that things will be looking up very very soon..._

_A Titans fan: Thanks! Yeah, he's kinda like my specialty lol. I don't want it to be...but if the NICE NICE fanfiction people decide to take it off for the song lyrics, I won't really have a choice. I'm really hoping they won't though..._

_Ok, this basically happens right after the last chapter. Oh, and I decided to dedicate this chapter almost completely to Raven. Yeah, it's a Robin fic, but she deserves at least 1 out of 7. Hopefully I can portray her emotions as well as Robin's. **I DO NOT OWN THE SONG TAKE ME AWAY, BY AVRIL LAVIGNE!

* * *

**_

"No!" Raven's heart froze as Robin's halting steps ceased, and he crumbled to the pavement like an abandoned rag doll. Her legs were running before she could tell them to, bringing her to Robin's side before her mind could catch up. Fear beyond anything she had ever felt pulsed in her veins, as cold as ice, squeezing, constricting...

Raven was slightly surprised to find her hands shaking as they inched towards his back, stomach churning as her eyes fell upon deep, bleeding gashes, his uniform in nothing short of tatters. She gasped, her throat seeming to close over as her stomach lurched again, and all the while, something ominous loomed over her head, like a knife in the dark, threatening to pierce her heart.

**I cannot find a way to describe it  
It's there inside  
All I do is hide**

Raven swallowed, fighting down the familiar feeling and strengthening her resolve. The stupidest thing she could possibly do at this point was hesitate; he undoubtedly needed help _right now_. A thought broke through her defenses, creeping through the cracks like a whisp of smoke drifting away from the raging inferno..."_If it weren't for you, he would be fine right now."_ Raven squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to push away the cold, hard truth, but to no avail.

_"If he dies, it's your fault."_

**I wish that it would just go away**

_"Stop it!"_ Raven opened her eyes, dizzy from lack of oxygen as she reached out and gently turned him over. What little air left in her lungs vanished as she saw his face: cold, pale, bruises and blood contrasting painfully with his white skin. But that wasn't what killed her heart. Tiny little trails of skin were drawn in the dirt and blood, spidering down from his eyes to his chin: tears. He was crying, crying because of her. The feeling was growing stronger, harder to bear...harder to control. Guilt...and something else... _No!_ She didn't...she couldn't... _"Why, Robin? Why did you pick someone like me? Why did you do this to yourself!"_

Tears were not the only painful traces of his agony. Raven could feel it, hovering in a suffocating mass all around him, pulsing in unbearable waves within her own being; nothing short of misery. Beyond that, undertones of anger, jealousy, self-loathing, recklessness...all of Robin's harmful qualities.

Raven blinked furiously and carefully laid her hand on his chest, directly over one of the more severe wounds...had to focus...had to clear her mind...

She let out a yell of frustration as her concentration shattered like a crystal goblet dropped from a ten-story window. She couldn't shake that feeling...the one that she shouldn't have felt in the first place.

**What would you do  
You do if you knew  
What would you do**

_"You did this to him. All he did was care about you, and what did you do? Threw him into a wall, then yelled at him for his efforts. This wouldn't have happened...if he dies, it's your fault. If he dies, you killed him."_

A lone tear escaped her tortured eyes, spiraling down through the air to fall soundlessly on his still face. If only this was one of those stupid, sappy fairy tales, where a tear, a kiss, or a heartfelt word could conquer death, where simply loving a person was enough to keep their heart beating.

...But she didn't love Robin! Cared for him deeply, yes. Wanted to spend time with him, yes. Yeah, she thought he was...sweet, even gentle, when he wanted to be. There were things inside him that constantly dragged him down, but when Robin smiled, the world seemed that much brighter...and his eyes...why did he hide such beautiful eyes?

_"So...you don't love him, huh?"_ mocked Sarcasm.

_Whether I do or don't," _retorted Raven, _"I can't. You saw what happened! Rage...Rage could kill him in the blink of an eye."_ She shivered at the thought, keeping her mouth firmly closed in case her stomach decided to rebell.

_"Right...it would be much better to save him from a possible death and condemn him to suicide. I see your logic there."_

Frustrated with Sarcasm, partly because she was right, it took Raven a few moments to realize that Robin was stirring.

**All the pain  
I thought I knew  
All the thoughts lead back to you**

Raven jumped, her eyes flying open as a gloved hand touched her own. Though it was hard to tell behind the mask, Raven was fairly certain that his eyes were open. She froze beneath his gaze, heart beating uncomfortably fast; what on Earth could she say to him? "Robin..."

"Hi." Raven assumed the pained grimace had been intended as a smile. He wrapped his fingers around her hand, though the grip was weak. A hoarse noise, somewhere between a cough and a laugh whispered from his split and bloody lips. "You should see the other guy."

Raven bit her lip as unexpected tears swam in her violet eyes. "You scared the heck out of me," she whispered, her hand automatically tightening around his as one tear, then another, rolled down her cheek to fall gently on him like soft rain.

The "smile" slid off his face, to be replaced with a deep frown. "I...I didn't mean...I'm sorry, Raven...so sorry." Even such few words seemed to exhaust him, as he was silent for several minutes, chest rising and falling weakly beneath her hand. His wrasping breaths echoed in her ears, and the tears fell from her aching heart.

**Back to what  
Was never said  
Back and forth  
Inside my head**

"Don't cry, Raven...I'm ok," he whispered, wincing slightly.

"Liar," Raven choked, barely able to breathe past the lump of guilt in her throat. She tried, but the tears would not stop, and holding them in was more than she could bear. The mask hid too much...why couldn't it just disappear? She needed to see those eyes...maybe something there would reassure her, ease this horrible aching in her chest. She wanted...him...no..._something!_

**I can't handle this confusion  
I'm unable come and take me away**

"Raven, I--_Uh_!" Robin's face contorted with pain, his grip on her hand tightening as his back arched off the pavement.

"Robin! What? What's wrong?" Panic surged through her, ringing in her ears and buzzing in her mind as he cried out again, squeezing her hand so hard she could no longer feel her fingers. Help...had to get help...focus..._heal!_ It was useless, her emotions were far too chaotic to allow for the peace and concentration needed for healing. What to do? "Cyborg!" Raven moved to stand, but found Robin's grip on her hand holding her back.

"No..." he grunted through clenched teeth. "Don't...leave me...stay...please stay, Rae..."

She froze, uncertainty lingering for a moment...but the look on his face decided for her. Her eyes still fixed on Robin, Raven sank back to the concrete beside him, wanting nothing more than to gather him up in her arms and hold him close, but something would not allow it. She couldn't give him false hope, couldn't lead him on towards something that would never be. She couldn't cause herself..._him_, that pain.

**I feel like I am all alone  
All by myself I need to get around this**

Robin shivered violently, as though his blood had been replaced with ice. With a shuddering breath, he gasped, in a tone of urgency, "Raven, I...I have to tell you--"

"Don't, Robin." Her voice had become harsh, blunt. She knew exactly what was coming, and she couldn't hear it! _No!_

**My words are cold  
I don't want them to hurt you**

The pain on his face brought a fresh wave of guilt crashing over her head and filling her lungs with its taint. This was for the best...she was doing him a favor. No one deserved to get stuck with a half-demon lover, especially not Robin. She wanted better for him.

"Raven, I--"

"Don't say things you don't mean, Robin! Don't say something you'll regret later!" Tears burning with anger and regret coursed down her cheeks as her heart raced, a cacaphony of emotions yelling in her ears until she could no longer think straight. She jumped, fear twisting her stomach into knots as a defenseless thug flew ten feet in the air and fell back to Earth with a sickening thud. That could have been Robin...how could she make him understand?

**If I show you  
I don't think you'd understand  
'Cause no one understands**

Robin let out a weak groan of frustration. "Would you...listen? I love you...never thought I'd say it, but...I love you...Raven. I just...just wish you felt the same..." Robin's grip had been slowly weakening, his words becoming more spaced and quieter...unconsciousness reclaimed its prisoner, so recently escaped from its cold empty clutches. His silence brought back the icy waves of panic, momentarily dispelled by his words...

_His words._ So, it was true. Robin said it, and there was no more room for uncertainty. He...he really _did_...no! Why did he have to go and say it? How was she supposed to hold firm now? How could she possibly stare him in the face and lie, now that she knew...it wasn't temporary insanity, it wasn't pity, it wasn't mindless teenage-boy hormones...he loved her. Her suspicions were confirmed, the clues were in place, the mystery, solved. Great! Now what?

**All the pain  
I thought I knew  
All the thoughts lead back to you**

"Raven!" Cyborg ran toward her, Starfire following slowly with an unconscious Beast Boy in her arms. "Is he awake yet? Did you heal him?" He froze in his tracks when Raven finally lifted her gaze. She knew he could see the tears, but somehow she didn't care anymore.

"Cyborg...I can't...my emotions..." She swallowed hard, trying to find enough air to satisfy her starved lungs. "I'm sorry. I can't help him."

The half-robot stared in complete shock. "You mean...he's not...!" He rushed to her side, falling to his knees beside the Boy Wonder and placing a thumb on the side of his neck. A sigh of relief whistled through his clenched teeth as he found the pulse, but it was soon drowned out by fear. With more tenderness than Raven believed possible from him, Cyborg gently wiped the blood from his best friend's face, pushing his limp wet hair out of his eyes. "Don't ever scare me like that again," he whispered, voice low and trembling slightly. In the next moment, he had snapped into action. "Raven, are you sure you can't help him at all? Maybe if you tried again..." It was clear that the hybrid was doing his best to avoid taking Robin to the hospital: something Boy Wonder had told them never to do.

"I tried..." Her voice trailed off into nothing as she stared down at her hand, now covered in Robin's blood. All she wanted was for those eyes to open again, even if only for a moment...she needed to talk to him.

**Back to what  
Was never said  
Back and forth  
Inside my head**

"Please, Raven?" Cyborg's eye bored into her, layers upon layers of sadness and fear swirling in the shades of gray. He couldn't lose Robin...he was his little brother, his buddy, his friend.

Raven bit her lip harder, taking one last look at Robin's pale face and the small pool of blood that had gathered around him, soaking the hem of her cloak. "I can't promise anything, but...I'll do my best." With that, she shimmered black and sank into the pavement, leaving a slightly stunned Cyborg kneeling beside their injured leader...he would just have to trust her. Even is she and Robin did have a fight, he knew she loved him. Raven would do everything in her power to keep him alive.

If only Raven was as certain as he.

**I can't handle this confusion  
I'm unable come and take me away**

It was so much easier to breathe up on the roof, the cool wind whipping in her face and soothing her burning cheeks with its touch. Raven stood absolutely still for several minutes, breathing in and out with a steady rhythm that eventually began to calm her racing heart. She couldn't think about anything but the air moving in and out of her lungs, calm, steady...was Robin still breathing?

The void shattered into a thousand pieces, and Raven hit the roof with a dull thud, groaning in frustration. Had to focus...Robin's life depended on it. She couldn't afford to screw this up...

_Robin was smiling warmly at her, his face as unreadable as always. "I would never laugh at you, Raven."_

_"You belong here, Raven." His voice trembled slightly, but this did not detract from the power of his words. "You belong here."_

Focus? Concentrate? It was impossible.

**I'm going nowhere on and on and off and on and off and on**

_"Why can't you just admit it, Raven? Just say it! What harm can it do?"_

Raven's hands twisted wildly, her lip bleeding slightly from the continuous biting. _"What harm? If I admit it, I won't be able to fight it, and if I can't fight it...all it would take is just one time, one time when I let my guard down. I could kill him! Do you think I want him to die at my hands? Better miserable than six feet under!"_

_"A life without love is no life at all."_

The tears were back, tears of pain and frustration. What was she supposed to do? She hated both options!

_"You know, Raven. Don't do this to him...don't do this to us. You will find a way."_ The voice faded into silence...

_"No! Wait, I still don't..."_ Raven's thought trailed off as she stepped up to the edge of the roof, gazing down on the street below...gazing down on Robin. She knew who that emotion was...and that could only mean...

**All the pain  
I thought I knew  
All the thoughts lead back to you**

"Robin..." She had to tell him, had to fix the mess she had made. Urgency spurred her on, the wind beneath her wings as she raced for the ground, touching down with less grace than usual and fighting for breath. There was still a hint of fear, a taste of panic, but something told her that everything would be alright. No, the prominent emotion was...excitement? Relief? ..._Love_. It was a strange and wonderful feeling, almost completely alien to her. Raven's had not been a happy life. Love was rarely offered her and even more rarely returned as the years dragged by, each one adding an extra layer to her shell of protection. Nothing could break through that wall...until Robin.

**Back to what  
Was never said  
Back and forth  
Inside my head**

Cyborg and Starfire backed away as she approached, staring at her with pleading eyes, a small spark of hope burning there. They believed in her...now she just had to believe in herself.

Raven closed her eyes, softly chanting her trademark mantra. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Healing blue light shimmered around her hands, glowing and shifting with a life all its own. Healing, in its true form, was a projection of feelings and emotions within the person wielding it. There had to be a reason for the injured one to live before the power would obey.

With an expression something like a smile, Raven laid her hands on each side of Robin's chest and let the emotion pour out of her in a way that she had never before allowed. She watched with relief as the gash glowed blue, then began to close over, skin fusing seemlessly with skin as the bleeding ceased. When the light was finished, there was not so much as a scar to hint of the pain chased away. Raven was giving herself to him.

**Take me away**

Steam rose from his body as cut after cut closed over, bruise after bruise vanishing without a trace. The energy flowed faster, stronger, fueled rather than inhibited by the images.

_Robin's smile..._

Blue energy sparked up and down his body as a bright white light began to pulse around him.

_His eyes..._

Raven's head jerked back with the force of it, but she pushed harder, her jaw clenched and beads of sweat rolling down her face. Almost...

_"I love you...never thought I'd say it, but...I love you...Raven. I just...just wish you felt the same..."_

With a yell of determination, Raven's eerie white eyes snapped open as she pressed her hands firmly into his chest. The light gathered in front of her, condensing into a burning ball of white fire; spinning, twisting, writhing...With the last of her strength, Raven pushed it into him.

**Break me away**

Robin literally glowed, every inch of him infused with that light, that energy, that emotion, until his skin appeared glassy, his body drifting a few inches off the ground as the magic worked its final spell...With a gentle sigh, the light dissipated, leaving Robin once again lying on the cold pavement...but he was not the same. Every bruise, every scrape, every injury was healed; his cheeks glowed a soft, healthy pink; the dark circles were gone from his eyes; and his breathing was deep and steady. Raven smiled weakly, shoulders slumping with intense exhaustion. _She did it._

Robin woke slowly, a finger twitching here, his head shifting there...His eyes opened behind the mask, blinking once or twice to focus. "Raven?"

A sob of fatigue, relief, happiness...too much to name, escaped her, tears running down her cheeks as the death grip on her throat released and the weight left her chest. She had to tell him... "Robin, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me...I never meant--"

He sat up slowly, never taking his eyes off her. "No, Raven. I'm the one who's sorry." He suddenly looked down, his cheeks growing a little pinker. "Listen, about...last night. I shouldn't have...I had no right to...I wouldn't blame you if you hate me."

"Robin," she said patiently, not wanting to interrupt him during such a heartfelt apology.

"I just...I don't know what got into me! I couldn't think straight, I looked into your eyes and it just...it just happened."

"Robin." Raven's voice was a little louder this time, but he continued to stutter, almost hysterically.

"I know you're mad, Rae...and I would understand it you...if you don't want to talk to me again...but...Please know that I--"

"Robin!"

He froze in mid-sentense, eyes wide as he stared at her.

"I love you." A deep blush crept into her pale cheeks as his eyes grew even wider. When the silence became too much, she grumbled, "There, I said it. Happy now? Oh, and one more thing."

Robin paled slightly, wondering if this was all a cruel joke...

"If you _ever _scare me like that again, I'll kill you." A tiny smile lit up her face as she looked up at him, a feeling..._happiness_, welling up in her chest and filling her with nothing short of joy.

Robin swallowed hard, blinking furiously behind the mask._ No, you idiot! Anything but that!_ "I...That...that's good." (The loving, not the killing.) He mentally slapped himself, but it was the best he could do. Something was wrong with his tongue.

"Yeah." Raven's smile grew wider. "It's very good."

**Take me away

* * *

**

_MUAHAHAHAHA! There you go, the happy twist you've all been waiting for. Hope it was good...hope it wasn't corny...hope I portrayed Raven's emotions well. This will probably be ending in the next chapter, but don't let that stop you from reviewing! There's still time to cuss me out, you know... -Dusty_


	8. Forgive Me

_Hi for the last time on this story. Though my energy is low, I will indeed respond to reviews...don't see how I could avoid it what with this being the final chapter and all._

_Tifereth: LOL thanks! I was hoping it would be something of an emotional rollercoaster. Yes, exactly! That's exactly what he was doing. Yes, she loved him, but she denied it and the fear growing inside her...well you'll see about that in this chapter. OH yes you most certainly are worthy! Get to work on Silent Ashes, pronto! Lol. Wow...thank you so much. Your reviews never cease to amaze me, and I'm so glad you like what I write so much. Thank you for everything._

_Water81: Nah, I don't flame, so you'll never see one from me. Yeah, I would think it would be very self-explanatory, and yet I still get people flaming me for the pairing. LOL ok I'll do my best to resist._

_fallendreamz: Thanks._

_Chibi-Ra-Chan: Wow, thanks! I wanted it to be like that...so I'm glad I succeeded. No problem, I understand, and your life is no more boring than mine. Thanks!_

_finalitylife: Yeah, that's what I figured. No, that makes sense. Thanks!_

_Aeris-Raven: Thanks so much:)_

_Al the Pirate: LOL somewhere deep down, eh? Thanks._

_Mina: No you don't sound like a girly freak, I'm flattered actually. Obsession loves company. Hope that site was helpful...and good luck. LOL well that explains a lot. Sorry if I seem grumpy...I'm kinda having a hard day...night...morning. Thanks once again._

_A Titans fan: Wow thanks, dude._

_Umbra Puella: Good, cuz that was the idea. Thanks!_

_rubianca: Yes yes the happy twist. -rubs head- Sadly, I do. Thanks!_

_Chica De Los Ojos Cafe: Yup this is the last. Thanks!_

_alena-chan: Well, if you are, then so am I. Thanks...I was hoping she would be convincing. LOL yes it was darn funny, and I'm sure the next chap will be too. Thanks!_

_kkkiimiko: Ok, I won't. Yes I do. Since the second book came out. Artemis rocks! Thanks, glad you liked it._

_mysti-eyed: Yeah I purposefully left ominous hints to make it a bit more unpredictable. Thanks!_

_Robinfan: Thanks...but this is the last chap. _

_dragon: Thank you._

_VerticallyxChallenged: So very. Sometimes. Ok, I'll give you a digital cookie every time you perform. Sadly I don't play anything but I want to learn to play acoustic guitar... Sorry dude. Thanks!_

_ITsYou: Yeah I draw the line...somewhere... Thanks, I try. Glad you liked it._

_jambey: Good, cuz that's what I was going for. They actually weren't fighting...Cyborg left to see if the other titans were alright, and BB was hurt but Raven healed him...probably should have specified, sorry. Actually, I wasn't shooting for anything, just trying to explain why the chapter was taking so freakin long. That's reassuring, thank you ;P So I see you're claiming the title...Glad you liked it._

_YoukaiTenshi: Yes I did. Ok I will. Thanks._

_Lilly: Thank you, I do my best. This is something like an epilogue..hope you enjoy it. _

_**I DO NOT OWN THE SONG FORGIVE ME, BY EVANESCENCE! **This takes place the next day.

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Robin gently lifted the roof access door, climbing out soundlessly as the cold morning air hit him in the face. He knew exactly where to look...and there she was.

He swallowed, wondering if he had ever seen anything to rival this moment. She stood with her back to him, a gentle breeze stirring her silky violet hair and rippling her deep blue cloak. The tiniest hint of sunrise crept toward her in the form of pale orange fingers, small and surrounded by the light blue of a morning sky. He almost forgot to breathe, but what did it matter? All that mattered was Raven.

"Good morning, Robin. You're very quiet, something bothering you?" She spoke clearly, but her voice did not shatter the silence before dawn, rather blended with it, no more unnatural than the distant sound of waves lapping at the rocks below. Bothering him? Not possible.

She sighed softly, turning to face him at long last, and he seemed to melt beneath her gaze...but hey, who wanted to be solid, anyway? "Imagine that. You look like you actually slept last night."

Yes, he slept...better than he had in months, maybe even years. No nightmares, no tossing and turning, just sweet, dreamless sleep. He half wondered if Raven had something to do with it...

She smiled gently. "Can't get nothin' past you, I see."

"...Thank you."

"Your welcome." The smile vanished suddenly, and Raven looked away, biting her lip. "Robin...we need to talk."

_Oh please no. _"O...k. Shoot." Nice word choice...

**Can you forgive me again?  
I don't know what I said  
But I didn't mean to hurt you**

"Well, about yesterday. There's a few things you have to understand before we...go any further." A hint of pink made her cheeks glow faintly in the semi-darkness.

Robin took her hand and led her over to the edge, sitting down and letting his legs dangle freely in the empty air. He felt so unsure, doubting himself at every corner. Sometimes he was certain that it had all been some terrible and beautiful dream, but pinch after pinch had failed to wake him. He looked up with a hesitant smile. "Hit me." Again with the ominous word choicage!

Raven took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well...I...what I said yesterday, I stand by that. But, Robin, there is still a great risk--Wait," she said, holding up a hand to silence his protest. "There is still a great risk that the both of us--especially you--are taking in this...endeavor. You need to fully understand what you are getting into here..."

The ghost of his cocky smile flitted across his face. "Where do I sign?"

"This is _not_ a joke, Robin. Painful death is far from amusing." Raven's voice was cold, but the worried frown in her eyes told the real story.

He dropped his head, the smile slipping off his face. "I...I'm sorry, Rae. That was a stupid thing to say. I know it's serious, but it's just hard to pretend that anything could possibly change this...feeling. I don't care what happens to me, just so long as I'm with you." He blushed scarlet, but held her gaze all the same.

**I heard the words come out  
I felt that I would die  
It hurt so much to hurt you**

As she gazed back at his blank mask, a memory flashed in her mind...eyes, deep dark eyes. The next second it was gone, and Raven found that she sorely missed it. "Well, I _do_ care. If something happened to you, I..." Raven broke his gaze, staring down at her hands as they twisted of their own accord. "I'm afraid, Robin," she whispered, ashamed but knowing that she spoke the truth.

Robin frowned, his eyebrows forming a little peak and his mask wrinkling slightly. An image, unbidden but horribly clear, flashed before his eyes: Raven, hunched over and crying as every enemy they had ever faced lurked in the shadows all around her. _No!_ Heaven help the poor soul that even laid a finger on her. "Raven, whatever it is, I swear I'll stop it! Nothing will ever hurt you, not while I'm here!"

"That's just it!" she yelled, her tone and the tears in her eyes shocking him to the core. "What happens when you aren't, Robin?"

He blinked, eyes wide and completely speechless. That was a factor he had never truly considered; somehow death seemed impossible when it came to him, even though it had been made harshly real to him at a tender age. He always thought of something, there was always a way...until he ran up against that one time when there wasn't.

**Then you look at me  
You're not shouting anymore  
You're silently broken**

"You say you'll save me...but can you save me from myself?" Raven's eyes pierced right through him, and it hurt. "I'm not afraid for myself, Robin. I'm afraid for you. If...if I lose control, _you_ will be the one to suffer. That fact terrifies me more than anything ever could. You may be willing to risk the utmost, but I _can't_."

"Fear..." Robin mumbled, staring blankly at her as the cogs started turning.

"What?" asked Raven, staring at him questioningly, slightly annoyed that "fear" was the only thing he had gotten from that tiring speech. His next move was a surprise as well.

Robin laughed, quiet at first, but growing in volume, slightly higher pitched and hysterical. Truth be told, he looked a bit nuts.

"What, pray tell, is so humorous, Wonder Bread?" she droned, more than a little miffed, not to mention concerned for his sanity.

"Don't you see it? Fear! You're afraid!"

Raven's eyebrow quirked as a vein began to throb at her temple. "Why don't you alert the media?"

"Don't you remember the last time you let fear get the better of you?" asked Robin, all traces of laughter gone from his face.

Raven's eyes widened. Could it really be that simple? "Robin, I don't know about this theory..."

"No, just listen for a second. When we...uh, you know...you were afraid of losing control. In the end, you _did _lose control, but not because of me. Your fear became your reality."

Raven blinked in shock. That was true, she had been horribly afraid in that moment... It was so simple, and yet it made perfect sense. "This means that...if I can control my fear, I'll control my powers as well...and there would be minimal risk," Raven whispered, saying it out loud as though to make sure it was true.

Robin smiled, the slowly strengthening sunlight playing across his masked face. "Exactly."

**I'd give anything now  
To kill those words for you**

Raven felt amazingly light as an enormous weight seemed to vanish all at once. Not wanting to be fooled, she tried to argue every last possible point. "But...what if we're wrong? Even if we're right, there would still be a risk! What about..." she swallowed, looking away and whispering, "the Prophecy?"

Robin's face became instantly determined, as firm and immovable as a brick wall. "Risk or not, I love you. Prophecy or no, I will always be there for you." A shadow fell over his face as the events of the past few days came crashing back to him. He couldn't survive that again. "It's the only way I know."

**Each time I say something I regret I cry "I don't want to lose you."  
But somehow I know you will never leave me, yeah.**

"Robin..." An unexplainable panic seized her, and the automatic response was to turn and run...

Desperate, he caught her wrist in a gentle but firm grip, one hand slipping up to his mask on a strange impulse.

Raven watched with wide eyes as he took it off, tossing it carelessly at her feet. Twin pools of everything stared back at her, paralyzing her limbs until she couldn't have fled if she wanted to. With a tiny hint of a smile, Robin spoke. "Now it's your turn."

Raven blinked in shock, amazed at how he had pierced through an age-old facade with four simple words. He knew her; she wasn't sure how, but Robin knew her inside and out. It was only fair; he had removed his mask, and now it was time for her to do the same.

Before his very eyes, she changed. That little worry line on her forehead vanished, the nervous lip-biting ceased, her eyes were no longer solid walls but doors, with a handle and hinges. One had only to reach out and turn the knob to find Raven.

**Cause you were made for me  
Somehow I'll make you see  
How happy you make me**

"There you go. We're even." Raven smiled, and it wasn't the hesitant, fragile quirk of lips, but full and confident, reaching all the way to her eyes as they sparkled in the early morning sun. This new Raven was even more beautiful than the last had been, radiance beyond anything he could ever have imagined emerging from behind those doors as locks clicked back and entrance was granted. He knew exactly what he was seeing, and he could hardly believe it. _Trust_. Standing naked before an army of swords without fear.

The warriers regarded eachother silently, concealing nothing and fearing nothing, though there was much in their cruel world worthy of it. They were on equal footing, or rather, the s_ame_ footing, for on that day they became one.

Moving as a single entity, the two met in eachother's arms, instinct taking over as lips touched in a kiss far sweeter than the stolen one had ever been...now there was nothing to fear and no one to run from. How could something so right ever be wrong?

**I can't live this life  
Without you by my side  
I need you to survive**

They broke apart gently, eyes searching for that something wonderful and finding it reflected back at them, as clear as the sun, shining with a peaceful warmth. There was no more room for doubt or hesitation. They belonged to eachother, completely, mind, body, and soul.

"Do what you feel is right, Raven, but know this. If you push me away, if you cut me off...I can't live. Being alone would kill me more than any bullet ever could." The words were not meaningless flattery or empty sentiment. Every bit of it was painfully true, cold hard fact. Yesterday had been a taste of what such a life would be, and Robin knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he could not survive it. The pain was too great, the loss too all-consuming. The mere thought struck fear in his heart as he gazed at her with pleading eyes.

**So stay with me  
You look in my eyes and I'm screaming inside that I'm sorry**

_A life without love is no life at all. _The words hurt, her imagination supplying the details of exactly what kind of Hell she had put him through. Spiritual death was infinitely more painful and permanent than physical death could ever be. She _would not_ do that to him...or herself.

Raven's answer was not spoken from her mouth, but from her soul as she laid her head against him and closed her eyes, listening to the beating of his heart. Some great need buried deep inside of her was, at long last, satisfied. All that she would ever want or need was right in front of her, giving her more comfort than she believed possible to achieve. True, there would be hard times, there would be struggles and disagreements and risks, but through it all, they would find a way. That emotion, the most important of all, was free at last.

_"Forever?"_

Robin smiled, truly happy for the first time in his life. _"Forever. I promise."_

**I can't live this life  
Without you by my side  
I need you to survive

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_**The End! **Ok well there you have it. Eight chapters explaining why the pairing of Raven and Robin is not only possible but probable. That last bit was telepathic communication, in case you were wondering. Yeah, BB still has issues and Star still likes him, but he will eventually get over himself and realize that he deserved the punch. Cyborg will continue to be something of their big brother relationship supporter lol. Hopefully you liked this, because I really enjoyed writing it. Review, let me know what you think! -Signing out...Dusty_


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